


Smoke

by Shiguresan



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Children, Drama, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-10-31
Updated: 2006-10-31
Packaged: 2018-01-09 05:41:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 51,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1142138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shiguresan/pseuds/Shiguresan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inuyasha and Kagome's painful parting five years ago has resulted in Inuyasha being alone ever since. Suddenly, he isn't alone anymore...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Appearance

**Author's Note:**

> Written when I was only 16 so be kind. I've advanced much since then...
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, you think I'd get depressed if I did? It belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and those at VIZ. The storyline, and any extra characters are mine. Smoke belongs to Natalie Imbruglia and the people who work with her records, I don't own it either, I just get depressed to it (but it's quite cheerful compared to other things in my collection).

  
_Appearance_  
~Chapter One~

 

 

There was a bitterness on the air that night. A thick, smoldering mist had begun to settle around the Forest of Inuyasha. An eerie calm fallen over the forest, though this was to be expected, little dared pass the forest’s boundaries for fear of what lurked within it. A thin trail of smoke escaped into the misty air, the evidence of a fire being built somewhere in the forest’s depths.  
  
Inuyasha groaned slightly as he threw the hazardly-diced pieces of meat into the pot that was boiling over the fire. He hated his own cooking, especially since when food was scarce of late, the unusually bitter weather had warned off any prey from coming out of their seclusion. The silver-haired half-demon looked around at cavern that he had taken as his home for some years now. He had long abandoned moving from place to place, there seemed little point anymore. Living, wasn’t what he tended to call what he did. Living was the intense enjoyment at blissful experiences, or sadness at tragedies; it was hard to do anything of the sort when you had no one with you to witness or help you through trial and error at life. This was what Inuyasha called surviving, and he’d come to learn, that they were two _very_ different things.  
  
Resting his elbows on his knees and face on his hands, Inuyasha watched the flames of the fire thoughtfully. How long ago it was since he’d shared this same firelight with people that he’d cared about - even dared to _love_ in his own way. This was a time when he had to force back despair. If he hadn’t once been so used to being alone, he probably would have despaired long before now. Whenever dusk fell, Inuyasha would retreat into the cave and ponder his existence as well as his old companions. He wondered what they would be doing or how much they would have changed. He himself hadn’t changed, and he wouldn’t have to. One of the _upsides_ of being part demon was, you didn’t have to worry about getting old, among many other things.  
  
Inuyasha’s dog-ears perked slightly. He definitely heard something, and he got to his feet swiftly. No one ever came into this forest anymore, not since he’d taken up permanent residence there. Therefore, he rarely had the excitement of a battle, except against the foul taste of his cooking. The mist had dulled his senses for the moment, so he couldn’t tell what kind of demon it was, or if it actually were a demon. However, he knew something was there, he could sense their gaze on him, as well as hear their light, nimble footsteps.  
  
“Who’s there?” he growled, his golden eyes and fangs glimmering menacingly in the firelight. The only response was a distinct shuffling about at the mouth of the cave. “You’re starting to piss me off, so whatever’s there show yourself!” A dead silence followed Inuyasha’s order. Inuyasha sighed, setting his sword back down beside him, as the silhouette that appeared at the cave entrance, pattered slowly towards the fire. Inuyasha sat down, lifting the boiling stew off the fire, placing it to the side to cool, before looking over at the figure that stood just within the reach of the firelight.  
  
Inuyasha’s eyebrows arced. “Who’re you?” The small figure didn’t reply. “What were you doing, lurking outside like that?”  
“I…” Inuyasha waited, watching silently, the timid, meek tone hesitating to speak. “It was dark, and I…saw the firelight, so…”  
“So you thought you’d come share it? What are you scared of the dark?” The silence he got in reply, suggested that was a _‘yes’_. He noted the shiver of what he knew from the voice and figure to be a child, and though he had no sense of smell right now, he didn’t think the child was a threat.  
“Why don’t you come nearer the fire?” he asked, not caring if it was a trap or not, and not caring if the child did or not; but one thing those people that resided in his past, that he dared call his friends had taught him, was common courtesy, if not at least chivalry towards children. Whichever, it didn’t really matter anymore. If the child weren’t what he seemed, it would just be a blessing in disguise.  
  
He watched the child stay still, and sighed, stoking the fire, before gazing back into its depths once more. A small smirk played his lips as he heard the small footsteps come closer, and felt the child sit near the fire. “So, you decided to-” he cut off as he looked over to the stranger. His eyes widened as the firelight clarified the boy’s appearance. Silver hair and puppy ears like his own… It was like looking at a reflection of himself in his youth, the only flaw to the perfect echo being the tone of lustrous amethyst of his eyes in the place of gold.  
  
“Y-You…w-who are you?” The boy looked at him with a timidity that made his heart ache. If this boy was who he thought he was, what had he done to deserve the fear that lurked behind those eyes, those eyes that harboured the youthful gleam that was unmistakably… _his mother’s,_ he thought.  
  
Suddenly the fearful gaze broke, as the boy looked away from him, and Inuyasha’s brow furrowed. “You know me, don’t you?” The boy looked back to him, without replying. “That is…you know who I am?” He nodded. Inuyasha sighed, scratching the back of his neck thoughtfully. _How did this happen? Kagome was…but why is he here? Now?_ Inuyasha’s train of thought broke as the boy shivered slightly, his puppy ears twitching madly as a reflex.  
  
“Cold?” The boy shook his head in response. Inuyasha sighed, picking up a bowl from the side and pouring some of the stew into it, and handing it to the boy, who took it nervously, as if it would scald him. “It’ll warm you up,” he said plainly. The boy nodded, but then looked at him expectantly. Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow pausing in the assault that he called _‘eating’_ on his own bowl. “What?” the boy recoiled slightly, as if Inuyasha had hit him. But Inuyasha couldn’t help the harshness to his voice; it was a natural trait from growing up alone. The few people that got close to him were accustomed to that, this boy, however was not. And he couldn’t help but feel bad that he didn’t now how to talk to him.  
  
Inuyasha looked at him still. He didn’t know why he wasn’t eating it. “What’s wrong?” the boy said nothing. Inuyasha couldn’t help but notice that the meekness in the boy’s eyes cast a glassed over look, making it look as if he were going to cry at any moment. _For a part demon, he sure is feeble. Kagome sure spoon-fed him all right…  
  
_ “If you don’t open your mouth how am I supposed to fix whatever’s wrong?” Again the boy recoiled, but this time his mouth quivered as it opened.  
“I-I…how do I eat it?” he mumbled, and Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. _Is this kid for real?  
_ “What you talking about?” He still couldn’t quite meet his eyes.  
“Do I have chopsticks, or…”  
“Oh, well-” he looked around, shifting aside the cooking implements that he’d gathered over the years and finding what he was looking for. “-here,” he said, handing the boy the chopsticks. Relieved when he finally started eating. _This kid’s sure tough work.  
  
_ Inuyasha gulped his down as usual, setting it aside, and watching the boy out of the corner of his eye. The child’s table manners were a mystery to him, but then he supposed that this boy never had to wolf down his food as a force of habit, from being afraid that the food would be stolen from you, or your meal would be interrupted by an attack. Growing up the way he did, Inuyasha suffered this exact force of habit, but the _Kagome_ in the boy had obviously been nourished to the extent that he was _nothing_ like Inuyasha, resemble him though he did.  
  
Staring thoughtfully at the boy a moment, Inuyasha couldn’t help but feel frustrated that he didn’t know how to behave around his own son. The boy looked up, having finished his food. His small, clawed hands enclosed tightly around the now empty bowl. Inuyasha’s dog-ears twitched. The boy seemed to have made a habit of staring at him with a kind of curiosity, mixed with something else, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on…fear, perhaps?  
  
Inuyasha huffed, pushing any soft, weak thoughts out of his mind, making the child jump as he leant forwards, taking the empty bowl from his grasp. “So,” said Inuyasha, distracting himself by cleaning the bowls, (a thing he always usually put off for as long as possible), in an effort to avoid looking at him. “If I asked you what your name was, would you answer?” The boy said nothing. “Hello? Cat got your tongue?” he asked sharply. Amethyst pools glistened with the beginnings of tears. Inuyasha’s eyes widened at the distinctive salty tint to his scent. “Okay, well, what does…what does your… _mother_ , call you?” A small hand pawed its owner’s eyes, whimpering softly, and Inuyasha sighed. He couldn’t help but be annoyed with the child’s softness. To be truthful, it irritated him.  
  
“What’s with the tears?” snapped Inuyasha, not understanding how to be patient with such a vulnerable, emotional child. The boy sniffed, frustrated at the tears he couldn’t force back. “Delicate little whippet ain’t ya?” The half-demon realized within seconds that his ‘brush-off’ attitude in this statement wasn’t at all helping the situation. Curling up and hugging his knees, the boy rested his forehead against them, hiding his face from his estranged father.  
  
Suddenly Inuyasha’s heart felt heavy, guilt-laden as he watched little silver puppy ears droop, and he sensed that same salty tint again. The man crept forwards, his hand outstretched, wavering in concerned uncertainty, before touching the boy’s bangs softly. Desperate to right his wrong, unsure fingers skittered through platinum hair, touching the flattened ears comfortingly, and the boy raised his head.  
  
The image was startling, a near mirroring of himself with the exception of youthful violet eyes, red and puffy with tears. A small reassuring smile crept across the man’s face. “Geez, don’t take me seriously kid, I ain’t all bite.” The boy blinked, obviously not understanding why a stranger was trying so hard to be warm to him. Inuyasha sighed, taking note of the modern day clothes the boy was dressed in; and remembering that Kagome’s little brother Sota wore something almost identical when he went to that renowned ‘school-place’ he and Kagome were always so fussed about.  
  
 _She’s made a right little lap-dog out of him,_ thought Inuyasha, casting a quick glance to the cave mouth, seeing the beginnings of a storm brewing. He got to his feet, the boy’s head turning to watch him as he pulled the durable curtain (his makeshift door) across the cave’s mouth, shutting out the rest of the world.  
  
“But I can hardly keep calling you _boy_ , calling people by their gender never sat too well with your mother, so…do you have a name?” he asked, trying to don his long-forgotten manners and _‘nice voice,’_ as he mentally named it. He turned. The boy still didn’t answer. _Shy one if nothing else…  
  
_ Inuyasha crouched down to the boy’s level. “Do you know what _my_ name is?” The boy nodded hesitantly. Inuyasha smirked.  
“I-it’s…Inuyasha…”  
“Ye ah, and…do you know who I am?”  
“Mummy says…you’re…my Dad…” Inuyasha’s heart jolted at the mild voice he’d spoke those words. _Not much of one, heck I didn’t even know I was one!  
_ “And your name is?” asked Inuyasha. The boy looked at him a moment, that lingering anxiety behind his eyes.  
“S-Shuri - My name is Shuri Higurashi.” Inuyasha took in the name for a moment. _Could she have picked a wimpier name?  
  
_ It was hardly a name for a part-demon descendant of the Demon Lord Inu-no-Taishou. For the son of the renowned half-demon Inuyasha and a priestess, he thought as he pulled the veil around where his mostly unused bedding was at the back of the cave. _What the hell is he doing here anyway? Where’s Kagome? Why didn’t she come back and **tell me** we had a kid?_ He pondered his raging thoughts as he straightened up the fur bedding, before turning back to the boy. Shuri let out a squeak of a yawn, rubbing his tired eyes before noticing Inuyasha was looking at him.  
  
“Err, I guess you’re tired,” he said, scratching the back of his neck distractedly, ‘it’s not much, you probably have a nice bed, but,” he paused, “you can sleep here.” Slowly the boy got to his feet, approaching him and looking curiously at the bed. Inuyasha watched as the child crawled gingerly into the nook of furs, lying back into their plush warmth. The half-demon couldn’t help but smile at the soft sound of content uttering from his alleged son’s tired form.  
  
Inuyasha looked down at him, considering what a ‘father’ would be expected to do next. Shuri looked up at him again through those vibrant coloured eyes. The half-demon’s brows knitted when Shuri’s arms outstretched to him. “What?” asked Inuyasha, confused.  
“M…Mummy always…gives me a hug and kiss…before I go to sleep…” Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.  
“What the hell for?”  
“So I have nice dreams…” Inuyasha snorted.  
“Feh, what mushy crap has that woman been filling your head with? What a load of nonsense.” He soon regretted his sharpness as those eyes filled up with tears. “H-Hey! Stop cryin’ would ya? It ain’t healthy to turn on the waterworks every fifty seconds!” The boy looked at him, sniffing slightly.  
  
Inuyasha sighed. This child seemed to harbour such a fear of him, and yet at the same time, crave for his affection. It made Inuyasha feel wretched to know that he had no such feelings towards this helpless boy. He felt disgusting. His own son and he didn’t even feel like he liked him all that much. _Dammit, Kagome. Why did you have to make everything so difficult?  
  
_ Inuyasha sat down on the edge of the bedding, looking to the small boy. “Why isn’t your mother with you?” he asked quietly. Shuri blinked.  
“Things got really bad…and, Mummy got sick, right after ‘they’ came after us, and she told me to come here.” Inuyasha stared into the pained amethyst eyes, heavy with a sadness no child should have to bear.  
“Who is ‘they’?”  
“The people Mummy always said to hide from,” he explained, his dulcet voice nothing at all like his father’s.  
  
 _Kagome took the Sacred Jewel with her. So somehow…a demon must have found its way to her era. It wouldn’t exactly be the first time…_ The half-demon looked to Shuri, before noticing that he looked upset by the recollection.  
“Just sleep,” he grumbled, getting to his feet.  
“Aren’t…Aren’t you going to…tell me a story?” he asked meekly.  
“Sorry kid, I don’t know any,” replied Inuyasha, letting the veil fall back into place behind him as he sat back down next to the fire.  
  
A ping of guilt struck his heart as he sat down, staring at the fire without really seeing it at all. _Kagome,_ he thought, _she’s dead, and never even knew. She’s gone to her grave and her last memory of me was - and then she sends this **kid** to me, expecting me to take care of it! I don’t know the first thing about kids!”_ He turned to gaze at the now sleeping boy out of the corner of his eye. _He cries easily, he’s so puny lookin’, and the name doesn’t exactly strike fear into my heart._ Then he realised something. _The only time Kagome and I ever…was when - I can’t even think about it!_  
  
Suddenly, his regular ‘impassive Inuyasha’ regained control, and he huffed loudly. With a final, almost accusing glance at Shuri, he leant back against the wall of the cave, closing his eyes. However determined to remain awake he was mattered little, as he was soon overtaken by a very troubled sleep…  
  
TBC


	2. Becoming

  
_Becoming_  
~Chapter Two~

 

 

_“I love you…”_ The words had come out easier than he’d imagined. After all those years of fumbling with the right way to put it, three little words just seemed to fall out of his mouth, and they matched his feelings perfectly. She’d reacted differently to what he’d imagined too. Waiting for that dreaded _‘sit’_ word, he winced, his ears pricking when a silence fell over her. His eyes fluttered open, hers meeting his with a sparkle of happiness, that made him return her smile. Inuyasha could have sworn he felt his heart melt when she returned the words.  
  
Before he realized what happened, they were entangled in a hectic ardent assault on one another. Kagome yelped against his inexperienced kiss as she slammed back on the ground, Inuyasha following, knocking the wind out of her as he landed on top of her. He nipped her bottom lip in an act of apology for his impatience, taking his weight off her by leaning on his arms either side of her. One hand risked a touch of her waist, making her smile against him. Taking that as a good sign, the half-demon seized the bottom of her shirt, breaking the kiss to yank it off over her head. With the garment off, she reached back for him, her lips crashing up to meet his once more in desperation. Inuyasha shuddered as she ran her fingers over his puppy ears. He had known long before Kagome what _heat_ was, but he’d had no idea that it would affect him as well.  
  
The half-demon felt a vibration of her speech against his kiss, and heard a muffled _“off”_ amongst other words. He pulled back a little, stripping himself off his inner and outer haori in a speeded frenzy, which only made her laugh at his over eagerness.  
  
The embrace continued much in the same way as before, occasionally breaking apart for the necessity for air, during that gasping pause the two would remove another piece of clothing. Inuyasha just wished he had the patience to stop and admire her revealed body a little more. The brief sloppy kisses and nips hardly seeming enough to appreciate all of her. Despite that, however, he hardly thought he’d last foreplay, and she didn’t seem to want it either.  
  
Suddenly, the situation seemed to be getting further and further away, he could still feel, hear, smell and see everything that was happening, it just, felt a little – distant. He was losing himself, the same negligible pain was nowhere to be found, and a foreign pleasurable sensation rippled through his body, and he was reacting to it in more ways than one. He sensed that familiar force of evil taking over. Hazel eyes widening and a desperate struggle to be free from the embrace from the girl underneath him, told him that she’d noticed the shift in power.  
  
“Inuyasha stop it! STOP IT!” Inuyasha mentally winced. Her pain was more than that of a girl who just lost her virginity, he could sense it. He couldn’t stop his body from moving against her, from sinking jagged claws into her flesh to keep her from wriggling away. “Inuyasha stop it please!” The real Inuyasha smelt as well as felt blood oozing out of her in consequence to his out of control demon side, emerging more and more every moment. “Inuyasha…no...it hurts!” Inuyasha winced again at her screams.  
  
Suddenly he leant down, against his demon side’s will, sinking his claws into his sides. Kagome’s eyes widened as she watched Inuyasha’s claws rake into his own flesh, his blood dripping onto her as he threw himself off of her, leaving her watching him with wide eyes, seeming to be worried more about his pain than hers, even after what had happened. Still self-harming himself in attempt to beat his demon back, Inuyasha sensed her move towards him. His crimson eyes snapped open, seeing her wincing as she half-heartedly tried to approach him.  
“STOP! DON’T TOUCH ME!” He screamed, edging backwards. “Get away…GET AWAY FROM ME! GO AWAY AND DON’T COME BACK!!!” He leapt forwards, his demon side seizing her by her arms, making her wince as the already bloodstained claws sank into her again.  
“Inuyasha! Inuyasha STOP IT!”  
“Get away!”  
“Inuyasha you’re hurting me!”  
 _“Kagome…”  
_ “Inuyasha!”  
  
Inuyasha gasped as he shot up, sweat beading down his forehead. Looking around at his surroundings, he captured his face in his hands, shutting out the outside world. _“Inuyasha it hurts! STOP IT!”_ Inuyasha winced as he recalled her voice. _It was a dream? No…a memory…  
  
_ Inuyasha sighed, hugging his knees slightly, resting his head on them thoughtfully. _The only time Kagome and I ever…and now, with Shuri here…that means that she **conceived** that night._ Inuyasha shook his head, trying to shake of the thought of how horrible it must have been for Kagome to not only suffer him _raping_ her, but also to not even be able to forget about it because of this _boy_. Inuyasha flinched at his thoughts, he couldn’t blame Shuri for it, it was his, Inuyasha’s fault after all, not his. The boy was lucky though, to have a mother like Kagome, who didn’t hold it against him how he was conceived.  
  
Inuyasha couldn’t bear it. She was dead, and the last thing he did to her was violate something that should have been the most precious moment of her life. _It’s all my fault,_ he thought, _because I’m a **damn** half-demon! All because I’m a dirty blooded mongrel, Kagome died hating me!_ Then a thought struck him. _If he was conceived that night, when I was full-demon, does that make him…half-demon?  
  
_ Inuyasha lifted his head as he suddenly noticed a strange scent. Inuyasha turned to look back at the bedding, his brows knitting when he didn’t see Shuri’s sleeping form through the semi-transparent veil. “Damn it…Kid where’ve ya got to?” he got to his feet, approaching the bedding. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something, and looked to the shadows beside the bed. “Hey? What’re you doing?” he asked impatiently as he saw Shuri hugging his knees in the corner, quivering slightly. Inuyasha rolled his eyes when he noted that the boy was crying. _Damn it, this kid could cry for the whole of feudal Japan!  
  
_ Inuyasha looked down at him pitiably. “Come on kid; stop crying for five seconds would ya?” The boy looked up at him.  
“I’m sorry.” Inuyasha frowned.  
“For what?”  
“I’m sorry…” This was getting stupid as well as annoying.  
“What are you-” he cut off, noting what the strange and pungent smell was finally. Inuyasha covered his eyes for a moment of disbelief, and then looked back down at the boy. His clothes, as well as the bedclothes were covered in the odour of urine. _What the hell am I gonna do with this kid?! Kagome didn’t even teach it how to go to the bathroom properly!_  
  


***

Inuyasha growled impatiently as he marched across the damp grass, the soiled bedding in his arms. _At least the damn storm stopped,_ he thought, trying to find a bright side, and pretty much coming up blank. “Come on kid!” Inuyasha called back, pausing for a moment so that the dawdling child could catch up. Shuri never raised his eyes from the ground, and that was just fine with Inuyasha, he didn’t particularly _want_ to see that face, probably strewn with tears again. He was annoyed as it was and the boy crying would just make it worse. In any case, whenever he looked at him he couldn’t help but recall _exactly_ how much he’d hurt Kagome the last time he’d seen her…  
  
“Ya could’ve told me you weren’t even toilet trained,” complained Inuyasha, marching towards where he smelt running water. Shuri’s brows furrowed, still looking at the ground.  
“I am…” he whimpered indignantly, almost silent. Inuyasha stopped.  
“Well it sure don’t look like it!” He snapped, making the boy jump. “If you needed to go why didn’t you say so?!” Shuri’s gaze dropped to the floor once more.  
“I…was embarrassed…” Inuyasha huffed, continuing to walk. _Embarrassed my foot!_ Then his thoughts mashed again, confusing the fuming hanyou as he approached the enclosed stream. _But, I guess it’s not his fault, I’d be afraid of me too, if I were a little kid…especially if Kagome’s said anything about my demon side…  
  
_ Throwing the furs into the water and proceeding to wash them, Inuyasha felt Shuri’s gaze on the back of him, making him edgy. Throwing them onto the rocks to dry, he turned to the boy, still in his soiled clothes. “Err, aren’t you a little uncomfortable?” he asked softly, trying to remember to use his _‘nice-voice’_ , and remember that now this child was his responsibility – for now at least. Shuri remained silent. “Come here.” The little half-demon skittered nervously over to his side, looking timidly up at him, as if he were about to be struck.  
  
Inuyasha scratched the back of his neck thoughtfully. He didn’t like that fearful look in the child’s eyes, it made him feel guilty about his behaviour. _But it’s hardly my fault,_ he thought, _I may be his father but I don’t know how to be one, and I don’t intend to learn! How can I not get angry when the little brat pisses over everything!_ He stopped a moment, his eyes widening. Did he really just think that? The older half-demon, motioned for the boy to stand in the water. _When did I get to be such a bastard?_ He thought, pulling the boy’s shirt over his head. _There’s no point in taking all my bitterness out on him. It’s not his problem I’m still sour towards myself for what a bastard I’ve been to Kagome… and pissed because I’m too dim to know how to look after my own kid.  
  
_ Inuyasha scooped the water up in the container, pouring it over the now naked boy’s body. Shuri shivered, his ears twitching wildly in response. “I-It’s cold…” he stuttered, his head shrinking into his neck as he shuddered.  
“It’s either that or smell of urine, and I know which I prefer, since I don’t particularly want to have to keep smelling it all day.” He hadn’t meant it horribly, but it had come out as that all the same. Being nice was hard.  
  
Silver hair was wound up out of the way; as Inuyasha leant down to wash the boy’s back. Shuri tensed slightly, and Inuyasha’s brows knitted for a moment as his clawed fingers traced over light bruising over the boy’s back. “What’s that from?” he asked curiously. The boy didn’t answer. Inuyasha sighed. _I don’t know how to talk to this kid. Heck he doesn’t even talk back!_  
  
Stepping back after having washed the last of the odour from the boy’s body, Inuyasha folded up the now dry bedding, ready to carry back. His ears pricked as Shuri sneezed, and he looked towards him, seeing the boy hugging his knees, still very much naked. Inuyasha sighed, walking over to him and dropping his fire-rat kimono over the boy’s shoulders. Shuri started at the gesture at first, before raising his head to look up at his father. “You wear that for a while. We have to go to the village now in any case, so you can hardly go striding in stark naked, now can you?” Inuyasha said, a small smile forced onto his face, trying to make the boy more at ease. It didn’t seem to be working.  


***

“Is there no way you can go back home? What about Kagome’s Mother, and Grandfather, and that kid brother o’ hers? Isn’t there anyone back in your era to take care of you?” asked Inuyasha, as they made their way to the village. Shuri met his eyes; he looked slightly hurt by his words. “Cuz’ I’m gonna be honest here; I don’t have the first idea how to look after a little boy-”  
“-I’m _not_ little!” he argued indignantly.  
“-yeah right, if I’m correct, you’re about – what – four?”  
“No, I’m four-and-a-half…” he replied quietly, making a smirk creep across Inuyasha’s face. ****_There’s_ some of the old ‘Inuyasha’ in him comin’ out…  
  
“Whatever, the point is, the only thing I know about kids is that I was one, a very _very_ long time ago. So if there’s someone else who can take you in-” He cut off as he noted the dejected look on the boy’s face. “Besides…you’re much better off over in that era, without demons and god knows what else coming after you…” The boy said nothing, and Inuyasha blinked, trying to hold back his frustration.  
“I…I don’t…have anywhere else…to go…”  
“What do you mean?”  
“B-Bad things happened…and…Grandma and Great-Grandpa…and uncle Sota…they got in trouble for trying to help us…so…Mummy left the shrine…to protect them…and to…get away from ‘them’…” Inuyasha frowned slightly.  
“You keep sayin’ that: _‘Them’_ , and _‘bad things_ ’. What _exactly_ happened?” No answer. “Who’s ‘ _them’_?” Inuyasha sighed. This kid didn’t trust him with _anything_.  


***

Strange looks and questioning whispers followed their arrival in the village. Inuyasha growled menacingly, silencing the whispers, but not the stares. Shuri’s eyes flickered over the villagers, and then up to his father.  
“What are they staring at?” he asked.  
“Me,” he replied, knowing it was only half the truth. But he didn’t have the heart to explain to the boy that just like his father, he’d have no place in the world…  
  
“Oi, you!” called Inuyasha to one of the villagers, making him jump. “Where are Sango and Miroku?”  
“P-P-Pardon?” Inuyasha sneered.  
“The demon slayer, her kid brother, the Monk, Shippo – Where are they?” The man swallowed hard.  
“The kitsune, the demon slayer and the others left the day before last. A neighbouring village was attacked by demons, and they went to lend their assistance.” Inuyasha cursed under his breath. “B-But, the cat-demon was left with the village to protect it. Should the demons sidetrack here.” Inuyasha looked at Shuri for a moment, before looking back to the man, who was wearing a look as if to say: _‘please let me go’._  
“Where’s Kaede?”  
“L-Lady Kaede is in her hut.” He explained. Inuyasha looked down at the boy once more. “Come on.”  
  
“Idiots, they should’ve taken Kilala with them…they should’ve known no demon would dare come within a ten mile radius of this village…” he growled under his breath, and Shuri looked up at him.  
“Why?” he asked. Inuyasha looked to him as they made their way to Kaede’s hut, thinking for a moment.  
“Because the village borders on my forest, and for the last five years, nothing has dared crossed its boundaries.”  
“B-But…surely, they could just go around it?” Shuri suggested, looked up at his father, still clutching the kimono tightly round him.  
“ _Nothing_ touches this village for fear of what’s protecting it…”  
“What’s that?”  
“Me…”  
“So, why do you protect it?” Shuri continued, annoying Inuyasha slightly. But he had the kid talking, so he wasn’t going to discourage that notion.  
“Because the people I used to care about live here…”  
“Used to care about?”  
“Yeah… _used to_ …and…the people in this village were important…to Kagome…”  
“To…my Mummy?” he asked, cocking his head to the side slightly. Inuyasha nodded.  
“I guess…I always hoped…deep inside…that she’d come back one day…that she’d forgive me-”  
“-For what-”  
“-And when she did come back…I wanted her to see how much I tried to be the better person she always told me I could be…” Shuri looked up at him thoughtfully, thumbing the corner of the kimono lightly.  
  
Suddenly the boy jumped, screaming as something slammed onto the ground in front of him. Fleeing behind Inuyasha, the boy peeped round the half-demon’s legs, seeing a fierce-looking demon, large fangs gleaming out of the corners of its mouth. Inuyasha smirked down at the boy. “Don’t be such a baby, here.” Shuri squealed as Inuyasha snatched his wrist, dragging him over to the demon.  
“No I don’t want to!” Inuyasha continued to smirk. Shuri flinched as Inuyasha stopped in front of the demon, holding Shuri’s hand out to it, the little boy trying to yank it back. He winced as the demon edged forwards. Amethyst eyes widened as a large tongue swabbed out over his palm, and he cocked his head slightly in confusion.  
“This is Kilala, Kid.” A small smile crept across Shuri’s face as Kilala nuzzled against his small hand. Inuyasha couldn’t help but smile as Shuri strained to lean up and pet Kilala’s ears. Clawed hands lifted him from his underarms, holding him up so that smaller, paler hands could stroke over the two-tail’s ears. Again, a smile came over the older half-demon’s face. _At least I’ve done something right,_ he thought. It was odd, seeing Shuri so contented, as he’d never seen him, it made him feel…happy, was it? Maybe he was a little better at this _Father_ act than he’d given himself credit for. Then again, he seriously doubted that. He was a failure at everything else, what made this any different?  
  
“It’s been a long time, Inuyasha.” Inuyasha turned to the direction of the voice.  
“Looking a little worse for wear, aren’t ya, Kaede?” asked Inuyasha, noting the worn, slightly tattered appearance of the familiar old priestess.  
“I didn’t expect ye to turn up here, ye tend to settle for watching over the village from a far. I trust ye have been looking after thyself?” Inuyasha nodded. “However, I certainly didn’t expect ye to have company.” Inuyasha looked up to Shuri, who was still petting Kilala.  
“Yeah, it’s difficult to explain…I don’t really understand it myself.” Inuyasha let the boy down, and Kaede’s face crinkled as she smiled warmly at him. The man was surprised when Shuri clung to the side of his fundoshi, his eyes widening.  
“And what might your name be, little one?”  
“I-I’m Shuri.”  
“Ah, that’s a sweet name. Your – _mother_ gave it to you, I suspect?” Shuri nodded, and the woman looked to Inuyasha. “Kagome, is…?”  
“She…she sent him here…she’s – _out of the picture_ …” Kaede nodded in understanding. Inuyasha blinked away the glassiness to his eyes, and turned to look to the boy. “Kid,” he picked him up from under his shoulders once more, sitting him on Kilala’s back, “stay with Kilala while I talk to Kaede. She’ll look after you.” Shuri nodded, stroking the fur on the back of Kilala’s neck softly, as he watched Inuyasha go into the hut after Kaede.  


***

“I’m sorry, I cannot do that for ye, Inuyasha,” Kaede replied to his question, lowering herself down onto the floor gently. It obviously caused her great pain to move.  
“Why not! This village isn’t like the others! They don’t share the same hatred of part-demons as the others do!”  
“That’s not why I refuse.”  
“Then why _do_ you refuse?! You know as well as I that my life is no place for a child! If he stays with me he’ll end up suffering exactly what I did and that’s _not_ what Kagome would’ve wanted!”  
“But Kagome sent the boy to ye, meaning that with ye is exactly where she wanted him.”  
“Well it’s not where I want him!”  
“He, is your son Inuyasha-”  
“-You don’t know anything! If you did you wouldn’t be so quick to-”  
“-Kagome forgave you, Inuyasha…”  
“-YOU’RE JUST…What?”  
“She came here before she left, to say goodbye. Of course, we didn’t know then that that would be the last time we’d see her, however, she said to tell you. It wasn’t your fault.”  
“You’re a liar old woman.”  
“Why would I lie about such things?”  
“Then why didn’t she come back if she didn’t hate me?”  
“She was more than likely scared you’d be angry with her for falling pregnant…” Inuyasha’s ears drooped, “and she probably thought it her fault for _whatever_ happened that last time with you, and felt you better off without her.” Inuyasha fell into a thoughtful silence.  
  
“So you’re saying this is my fault?”  
“Nay, I am merely saying, I will not take Shuri off your hands, and I will allow no villagers to do so either.”  
“Conniving wench…”  
“You say you don’t know how to be a father, well then you’ll have to pick it up as you go and _become_ one.”  
“If he stays with me he’ll die!” Kaede looked to him. “Just like his mother…just like my mother…like my father…everybody who loves me has died, and I _won’t_ let him die like the others!”  
“What makes ye so sure he will die, Inuyasha?” Inuyasha sighed.  
“Because the gods enjoy pissing on my life.” Kaede suppressed a smirk.  
“I shall say it again, Inuyasha,” she said softly. “He is _your_ son, and I have faith that ye will take care of him, just fine.” Inuyasha sneered slightly.  
“Fine, I’ll ask Sango, _she_ won’t turn away Kagome’s kid. When’s she comin’ back?” Kaede looked at him.  
“She will be a few days yet; she and the others will want to make sure the demons are _thoroughly_ disposed of before they return.” Inuyasha turned, walking through the door.  
“Then I’ll watch him until she returns…and then she can take care of him,” he said, before leaving the hut.  
  
Inuyasha looked to Shuri, who was still on Kilala’s back, and sighed. Partially glad that the boy had not heard what had been said only moments before. “Come on, Kid, we’re outta here.” Shuri blinked, sliding down off Kilala’s back.  
“Linger one more moment Inuyasha,” came Kaede’s voice as she emerged from the hut after him, clutching something Inuyasha could not quite make out. “I could not help but notice that the child is wearing your kimono, so take these for him.” Inuyasha sneered, still fuming at her refusing to help him. Half-heartedly, he took whatever it was that she was offering, eyeing it carefully. It was an indigo toned kimono and Inuyasha tossed it to Shuri, who caught it awkwardly.  
“I’ll take this moment to _not_ thank you,” said Inuyasha, before turning to Shuri. “We’re leaving.” Shuri nodded, following quickly.  
  
Colliding into the back of Inuyasha’s legs, the boy looked up at him, who he noticed had paused for a moment. “Kaede.”  
“Aye?”  
“We’re borrowing Kilala, just to ensure Sango _actually_ gets the message that I wanna see her,” muttered Inuyasha. Shuri’s eyes widened as Kilala’s form was swallowed in flames, the fiery blaze burning out until her smaller form emerged, mewling contently as she leapt into the small boy’s arms.  
“Are ye insinuating that I would purposefully forget to inform Sango that ye wish to speak with her?” Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.  
“Well, yeah, weren’t ya listening?! Old Hag…”  
“Nice seeing ye again too, Inuyasha,” replied the old woman sarcastically. “And nice meeting you, Shuri.” Shuri smiled.  
“Bye.”  
  
Inuyasha cast a sideways glance down at him as they made their way out of the village.  
“Not afraid of her all of a sudden?” Shuri giggled as the two-tailed demon licked his cheek playfully. Inuyasha sighed quietly. He could do this. All he had to do was keep him alive until Sango and the others came back, and then he could go with them. The half-demon was surprised to feel a slight disappointment at the idea. After all, the kid wasn’t half-bad when he was like this, smiling and laughing. _No_ , he thought, _Sango’s a human, and a woman, she can look after him better than I ever could…besides…I don’t want to love anyone ever again, just to see them die because of me…  
  
_ “Umm…Inuyasha?” Inuyasha looked down, surprised at being addressed by his name from the boy. “What’s that smell?”  
“Smell?”  
“It smells…strange…” Inuyasha inhaled, sneering as he took it in.  
“Keep movin’, Kid.”  
“Why? What is it?” _That bastard, I thought I sensed that stench earlier…and he’s getting closer…a_ **lot** closer…and if he sees the Kid we’re in big trouble.  
  
  
TBC


	3. Arrival

  
_Arrival_  
~Chapter Three~

 

 

Inuyasha growled under his breath as he stoked the fire, scaring off the lower level demon that had been approaching the camp from the shadows. He looked over his shoulder as he heard familiar footsteps. Shuri walked back into the firelight, holding out his arms shyly so that the kimono sleeves hung slightly. Inuyasha smirked at him. “Looks good on ya, maybe you should wear a kimono more often.” Shuri said nothing, sitting opposite, Kilala hopping onto his lap, nuzzling against his hand. “Bet it’s less constricting than those damn modern era clothes, huh?” Shuri nodded, petting Kilala quietly. “What’s up with you?”  
“I…Why are we not at the cave…?”  
“Because he’s already been there…I can smell it…”  
“Who’s _‘he’_?” asked the boy in confusion.  
“The bastard that’s been on our tail all day.”  
“Oh. What’s a _‘bastard_ ’?” Inuyasha’s eyes widened as he realized he’d sworn in front of him. _If Kagome were here, she’d sit me for that.  
  
_ The half-demon took in the boy’s appearance for a moment, finding that the kimono suited him quite well, far better than those weird garments Kagome had seen fit to dress him in. The Indigo cloth fitting the vibrant amethyst of his eyes, and contrasting against his pale skin and hair very well; so much so that Inuyasha allowed a small smile to turn at the sides of his lips.  
“Uh, it means a…it means a lot of different things. But…it’s a bad word, so you shouldn’t use it.”  
“Why?”  
“Your mother wouldn’t have liked it. She didn’t like me using it anyway…”  
“If it’s a bad word, why do you use it?”  
“Because…because I just do.” It had come out a little more sharp than he’d meant, and he regretted it instantly, that dejected look befalling his son’s face once more.  
  
“So, do you like those clothes better?” Shuri nodded slowly. “What d’ya say we toss these to the fire then. Huh?” asked Inuyasha grabbing the old, still very urine scented clothes, even through the wash. Then again, maybe modern day fabrics clung to odours more, he didn’t know. Shuri’s eyes widened.  
“Wait!” Inuyasha froze; it was the loudest he’d heard the boy speak since he’d met him.  
“What? You want these dirty rags?” Shuri shook his head.  
“Well then-”  
“-Wait a second.”  
“What? What for?”  
“I…want what’s inside them.” Inuyasha opened up the bundle, finding nothing inside it.  
“Are you kidding? There’s nothing in here.” Shuri walked nervously over to him, sticking his hand in the bundle and tugging on a corner of worn white cloth. Inuyasha frowned as he yanked it out of the pocket of the shirt, pulling the tattered cloth, roughly the size of a small tablecloth and into his grasp. The older half-demon watched him in confusion. “You want - _that_?” Shuri nodded.  
“It’s my blanket…”  
“It’s your _what_?”  
“Mummy gave it to me before I was born…it’s my comfort blanket…” Inuyasha smirked in amusement. _Kagome sure has made a wuss out of him…  
  
_ Shuri resumed his seat, holding the blanket to his body, and Inuyasha continued to watch him with a strange look on his face.  
“You don’t want these rags too, by any chance?” asked Inuyasha mockingly, and Shuri shook his head, Inuyasha tossing them into the fire. He had to rid them of the cloths carrying the scent that had been leading _him_ straight for them. Luckily, they’d dropped off the furs before heading off to the village, but Shuri had clung to the old clothes the whole time and obviously, this _comfort_ thing was the reason why. He’d probably been too embarrassed to come right out and say that he wanted it, but that explained why he hadn’t neglected to pick them up after Inuyasha had purposefully left them on the riverbank.  
  
Inuyasha frowned as he noted Shuri smelling the cloth. “Are you sniffing that damn thing? That can’t be healthy, it must reek of piss.” Shuri looked upset by the comment.  
“It doesn’t! I didn’t go on this! It just…it smells of Mummy…” he said softly, and Inuyasha immediately realized his mistake. He was making the boy feel bad about missing Kagome, as well as already feeling unwanted and unloved.  
“Y-Yeah,” he said, trying to make it up to him. “She had a nice scent”. This comment obviously hadn’t worked; the boy still wouldn’t even look at him, and now hid the cloth slightly from view, as if he didn’t want Inuyasha to see him clinging to it desperately, as if it were the last shred of his mother he had left. Then Inuyasha understood, it probably _was_ the last part of Kagome he had left.  
  
“Look, I know we got off on the wrong foot, but it looks like I’m stuck with you so we’ll have to make the most of it.” Exactly, the wrong thing to say obviously, amethyst eyes filling with tears. Inuyasha’s ears pricked as he heard the boy’s stomach growl. The half-demon scooted over to the boy’s side, patting his shoulder softly. “Hey, don’t cry, I told you not to take me seriously right?” Shuri nodded in response. “I’m just a grumpy bast - person. So don’t think on the crap I come out with too much, okay?” Shuri nodded, blinking back the tears. “Now, are you hungry?” The boy nodded again. “Okay. Kilala, can you look after him while I go find us dinner?” The cat-demon mewled happily with a nod, and Inuyasha petted her ears softly. “Okay. Kid, no matter what, _don’t_ leave the camp, okay?”  
“Okay.” Inuyasha got to his feet, disappearing from the firelight and into the shadows. _I have to get this done fast,_ he thought, _that bastard is closing in; I can’t leave them unguarded for too long. Gods, if Kagome were here I’d get a thousand sits for leaving a kid alone like that at night, but I don’t have a lot of choice here, now do I?_  
  


***

Unfortunately the task of finding food took him longer, and further than he’d intended, all that he could do was hope that Kilala could hold her own until he got back. _I’ll never figure out that Kid,_ he thought, hurrying back towards where he’d left Shuri and Kilala. _All this talk about ‘They’ and ‘Bad things’, how am I supposed to know what’s going on here? **Something** must have happened for Kagome’s family to not take him in, and what exactly happened to Kagome? And This kid sporting bruises that a half-demon should have no trouble in healing? It’s just…strange…  
  
_ Entering the glade, Inuyasha’s eyes darted around. There was no one to be seen. Growling under his breath, Inuyasha threw the rabbits he’d caught beside the fire. “Kilala! Hey Kid, where the hell are you?” He looked around. Could _he_ really have taken them? Or maybe Kilala took Shuri to hide. Either way, they were gone, as was their scent. “Now I know why Sesshômaru never had kids,” he growled to himself. Suddenly his ears pricked. He’d heard something. “Kilala?” Again there it was. Inuyasha spun round; trying to pick up the direction it was coming from. “Shuri where are you?!”  
 _“Over here…”_ It was distant, but he’d heard it. Speeding off in the direction of the voice, Inuyasha navigated through the trees, skidding to a halt when he found something in his path.  
  
“What the hell do you want?” he asked with a sneer.  
“What do _I_ want? What do you want? Charging round the forest like a lunatic.”  
“What have you done with Shuri and Kilala,” he snarled, eyeing the man with hatred.  
“Who?”  
“Don’t act stupid just because you are! Where the hell are they?!”  
“Imagine my surprise, _Inuyasha_ , when I sense Kagome’s scent after five years, only to find it mixed with your repulsive stench in the blood of a little boy.” Inuyasha’s eyes glowed in the dimness, as they watched the demon turn to face him. “What I wanna know is what the hell have you done with Kagome?!”  
“I don’t give a shit what you want to know, where’s the kid?” he replied angrily to the wolf-demon. Kouga sneered.  
“Keh! As if I’d hurt Kagome’s child, despite his father being a mangy mutt-”  
“-Just answer the damn question!”  
“I told you if Kagome were with me she’d be better off-”  
“-Shut up…”  
“-All she ever had with you is suffering-”  
“-SHUT UP!!!” Kouga’s eyes widened as Inuyasha caught him off-guard, his fist colliding with the side off his face, sending him skidding across the ground. The demon slammed into the trunk of a tree, knocking the wind out of him as Inuyasha approached.  
“So Inuyasha, you intend to raise the kid all by yourself? How very noble of you…I suppose making her carry your spawn was the only way you could keep her from me-”  
“-Shut up!” he shouted, kicking the wolf in the stomach. “As if I’d ever - As I’d _ever_ force myself on Kagome.” Kouga smirked.  
“Don’t sound so sure of yourself anymore though, Inuyasha. Wanna rethink your answer?” Inuyasha growled under his breath. Kouga rose to his feet. “So I’ve decided I’m taking the kid with me.”  
“Oh, you have, have you?” replied Inuyasha sarcastically.  
“Yeah, no sense in leaving Kagome’s son here with you to give up the ghost. No, he can come with me, and be raised as _my_ son - rather than dying as yours.”  
  
Inuyasha shook with anger. How dare he assume he could do what he wanted? True, he didn’t want Shuri, and he was just going to push him off on Sango as soon as possible, but there was no way in hell he would let _Kouga,_ of all people, raise his flesh and blood as a mangy wolf and tell him lies that would turn the boy against him. And there was no way in hell that he would allow that wolf to leave this clearing with that stupid smirk plastered over his face.  
  
“You’re forgetting there are some major flaws to your plan…” he muttered, dangerously quiet. Kouga looked amused.  
“Really, and what’s that?” he replied mockingly.  
“Shuri is _my_ son. Not yours.” Kouga yelped as Inuyasha leapt forwards, seizing him by his throat. “And Kagome isn’t here to here to stop me from killing you this time…” Kouga’s mouth twitched into a smirk.  
“Heh, gonna kill me in front of your son, not very father-like, Inuyasha.” Inuyasha turned to where Kouga had glanced, and his eyes widened as he saw Shuri, standing holding that ‘blanket-thing’, two of Kouga’s wolves stationed behind him. The half-demon let the wolf drop from his grasp, turning to the boy, who looked bewildered.  
“Shuri, come here.” The boy cast a backward glance at the wolves behind him, and dashed forwards to Inuyasha. “Are you okay? They didn’t hurt you did they?” Shuri shook his head, looking a bit shocked at his father’s concern. “Where’s Kilala?” The boy shrugged.  
“Ah, don’t sweat it, the two-tail is fine,” Kouga said coolly, noting Inuyasha’s temper rising. “We lead her in a big circle, she’s probably back at your camp by now.” Inuyasha nudged the boy in the shoulder, telling him to start walking. “This isn’t the last time you’ll see me Inuyasha!” The wolf-demon called as they walked away. “I’ll be seeing you again!”  
  
Inuyasha looked down at Shuri from the corner of his eye. He hadn’t seemed worried, just agitated by the wolves. And he couldn’t help but think that maybe he’d gone with Kouga willingly.  
  
TBC


	4. Reveal

  
_Reveal_  
~Chapter Four~

 

 

“Shuri?” The boy looked up across at him from the fire, halfway through the food Inuyasha had managed _not_ to burn. “If I hadn’t showed up, would you have gone with Kouga?” He said nothing. “I mean, did he force you to go, or did you go on your own?” Shuri looked down at his lap, wearing a look of shame.  
“I…I was scared…” Inuyasha tilted his head to the side. “He said he didn’t want to hurt me…but…”  
“ _But_?” Inuyasha encouraged.  
“But…that’s what _‘they’_ used to say…when they tried to take me away from Mummy…” Inuyasha watched him. Maybe he was finally getting somewhere.  
“When did they try to take you?”  
“W-When, I was at school, Mummy used to meet me outside the gates, but, once…when I got there, she wasn’t there,” Inuyasha watched his small fingers toying with the corner of the blanket absentmindedly as he spoke.  
  
It was the first time that he’d finally appreciated how well the boy could actually talk, for a boy of not even five, he spoke much better than he was supposed to, that was for sure. “There was a man there, and he and his friends asked me who I was, when I told them, they asked me to take off my cap.” Inuyasha frowned. Noticing the look, Shuri explained further. “Mummy always said, never take off the cap except at home.” _Right, to cover his ears,_ thought Inuyasha. “When I said no, they tried to grab me, and then I saw Mummy had already been taken, and she told me to run.”  
“Did they catch you?” Shuri shook his head.  
“I don’t know how, but Mummy caught up with me, and she took me to the well-house. We hid there for a while, because they came to search the house. And that was when Mummy told me, if they ever came after me and she wasn’t there, that I should come here and count to the biggest number I could, and if she still wasn’t there, that I should jump down the well, and find my Daddy.” Inuyasha blinked, trying to process all of the information.  
  
“So…what happened?” The boy seemed to think for a moment, as if searching for the best way to explain it.  
“Mummy took me out of school, and quit her big school, and we stayed at Grandma’s house. But they came back, and they got Grandma, and Uncle Sota, and Great-Grandpa in trouble for refusing to let them search the house for us. So we had to leave. Mummy got a new _wre_ \- _re_ -” Inuyasha waited patiently as he struggled to remember the exact word, “- _rented,_ a new house, and Grandma helped pay for it, and bought food and things and had them sent to our house. So we stayed there for a while, and Mummy gave me lessons.” Inuyasha couldn’t help but _know_ there was still the worse to come, he could tell by the look on the boy’s face as he paused for a moment. He’d never spoken so much in front of Inuyasha before.  
  
“But then…Mummy got sick, and Great-Grandma couldn’t visit in case they found us, and Mummy couldn’t go out to get anything to make her better. So…” Inuyasha watched amethyst eyes fill up with tears, “so Mummy just got sicker…and sicker…and then, one day she didn’t get up to make me breakfast…and…there was banging on the door, and scary voices…and when I went into Mummy’s room, she told me to run.” Tears spilled down his cheeks, his voice broken with crying. “And I ran…and when I got to the well, I counted to the biggest number I could. I counted and counted over and over again, but - she - never - came…”  
  
Nervously, Inuyasha moved round the fire, patting the boy timidly on the shoulder. His eyes widened as the boy flung himself into his chest, soaking his kimono with tears. Once his shock at the movement had worn off, he spoke.  
“So you jumped down, and came here?” Shuri nodded in response. Inuyasha looked down at the boy with pity, petting his hair softly. “But…how did you know who I was?” Shuri sniffed.  
“Mummy said to look for the person who looked like this.” Inuyasha looked down, seeing the boy unfold his blanket carefully, pulling out a familiar looking necklace. _But it can’t be,_ he thought, reaching into his kimono and feeling his fingers touch the locket that Kagome had given him all those years ago. _No, so…what’s with this?_ “Mummy said she gave you one just like it,” he said, opening it to show Inuyasha two pictures, one of himself and one Kagome, identical to the ones in his own locket. _Meaning Kagome must have made copies,_ he thought, as he watched Shuri pull the necklace over his head, and look at the pictures in it carefully, his cries falling silent as he laid his head in Inuyasha’s lap - Inuyasha not having the heart to stop him.  
  
“Shuri? Do you know why they were after you?” Shuri shook his head.  
“Mummy said something like…it was because I was different from everybody else.” Then it all suddenly made perfect sense in Inuyasha’s mind. Even he knew from having to hide his ears on all his visits to Kagome’s era, that demons weren’t exactly common there. Someone must have found out that Shuri wasn’t quite to _their standard_ of normal, and come after him. Inuyasha sighed, he had hoped that no one else would ever have suffered a childhood like his, but his own son must have been living in fear for such a long time, and now, thanks to Inuyasha, he was afraid of _him_.  
  
“Shuri?”  
“Hmm?”  
“ ;Did, Kagome - I mean your mother, ever say anything about me.” Shuri nodded.  
“She always told me bedtime stories about you rescuing her from monsters, and how much you loved each other, and how you were her hero.” Inuyasha felt his heart ache. Kagome had told Shuri all these stories, and made him out to be this selfless hero that never hurt her, when in all truthfulness, it was his fault she was dead.  
“Did your mother ever tell you about the last time I saw her?” Shuri shook his head.  
“Mummy said that all the stories she told me had a happy ending, but that story hadn’t ended yet, so she’d tell me it when it did.” _So that’s what happened to Kagome,_ he thought, _she let herself get more and more sick, just so they couldn’t take him away.  
  
_ Casting a glance down, Inuyasha saw the boy curled up asleep on his lap. Not quite himself, Inuyasha brushed aside the silver tendrils of hair from his face. Hearing the boy’s breathing deepen, Inuyasha leant in, clicking the locket shut that Shuri was holding. _If she told him that about the time we last met, then that means…she always intended…to come back…_  
  
  
TBC


	5. Spoonerism

_Spoonerism  
_ ~Chapter Five~  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha winced as the moonlight shone onto his face, his eyelids fluttering open slowly. He must have fallen asleep, though he couldn’t remember doing so. He blinked, not daring to look down into his lap, as he felt something. Recalling the events of earlier that evening he sighed, who knew by sending Kagome away in an attempt to protect her from him, he’d only thrown away his ability to protect her from everything else. And what was worse, he hated their son. _Okay, maybe not **hate** ,_ he thought, _but he’s so wimpy, and pathetic and…dependant?_ Maybe that was just it! It wasn’t long after Inuyasha was Shuri’s age that Inuyasha had to fend for himself, and seeing this little kid, so dependant on him was just too… _It’s probably more anger than anything,_ he thought, _I’m angry at myself for all these things – and I don’t know how to care for another life to boot! And because I’m such a grumpy dumb-ass I’m making myself mad at…him.  
  
_ Inuyasha froze as his hand skittered down into his lap. His hand flicked down and his eyes flew open – Shuri was gone – again! _Argh, crap,_ he thought, getting to his feet. “Shuri?!” _Damn I need to get this kid a little bell or something._ “Shuri get your ass out here!” Inuyasha spun on his heel, hearing a rustling in the bushes behind him. Narrowing his eyes, Inuyasha growled slightly as Shuri shuffled meekly out of the cover of the bushes. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” The boy looked down at his feet, mumbling slightly. “What?”  
“I was…going to the bathroom…” Inuyasha rolled his eyes, dropping his kimono over Shuri’s shoulder’s as he noted the chill in the early morning air.  
“For once can you just-!” he stopped as he was met with a very pitiful gaze, and he swallowed his harsh tone. “-Just…tell me next time. Just wake me up and I’ll take you…it’s not safe to wander round the forest in the dark.” Shuri nodded obediently. Inuyasha sighed, turning the boy round in direction of the camp. “And in future you – AH!” He yelped as he turned, met with something hard colliding with his face. Rubbing his blemished cheek, the half-demon looked around, sniffing lightly. A scowl came over his face as he recognised the scent.  
  
“Sango!” The demon-slayer emerged from the shadows with a satisfied look on her face, the Hirakoitsu slung casually over her shoulder. “Wench…” Inuyasha growled under his breath so the woman couldn’t hear it.  
“Inuyasha, long time no see,” she said approaching, not noticing the cowering Shuri who was concealed behind Inuyasha’s legs. “I had hoped you’d fallen off the edge of the world entirely but, alas you’re still here.”  
“Missed you too… _Wench_...”  
“Either way Kaede said you took Kilala, and that you wanted to speak to me.” Inuyasha said nothing. “Well I’m here, what do you want?”  
“Well I…I…” How was he supposed to say it with Shuri standing right behind him? Especially since it looked like Kaede had neglected to tell Sango about Shuri completely. _Thanks, leave the hard stuff to me, why don’t ya?_ He thought, casting an uneasy glance back behind him, where the boy was.  
  
The demon slayer eyed him carefully, clearly irritated that she’d had to come right out of her way to find this asshole, when she hadn’t seen him for a good five years. She clicked her tongue impatiently.  
“If you’re not gonna talk, tell me where Kilala is and we’ll just leave you to your well deserved-” She cut off as Inuyasha shoved Shuri towards her, the little boy looking up at her with wide eyes. “Inuyasha have you shrunk?” Shuri blinked, and Inuyasha growled in annoyance.  
“Sango, this is Shuri, Shuri, Sango.” The demon slayer stared, utterly lost for a moment, until…  
  
“AH! SANGO YOU MAD WITCH! GET OFF ME!” Inuyasha yelled as the woman shot past Shuri, strangling Inuyasha.  
“YOU INCONSIDERATE ASS! YOU SEND KAGOME HOME JUST TO HAVE A KID WITH SOMEONE ELSE?! IT’S THAT DEAD BITCH KIKYO ISN’T IT? ISN’T IT?!!!”  
“NO – YOU – MAD – OLD – CROW! HE – IS – KAGOME’S – KID!” He managed out from between her trying to choke him. Suddenly she released him, making him drop to the floor hard. _Wench…  
_ “So…after Kagome left…you never-”  
“-Do you people really think that little of me?” Sango gave him a sarcastic look.  
“Do you have to ask that question?” Inuyasha growled, turning away to avoid her eye. “So you never…?”  
“Never…”  
“Not even with-”  
“-Look, Kagome was the only one who…” he trailed off, only just remembering Shuri’s presence. It seemed that Sango had too.  
  
The woman turned, a calm tone to her voice and a matching expression across her features as she knelt down to Shuri’s level, smiling softly to him.  
“Hey little one,” she said affectionately, “would you like a sweet?” Shuri cocked his head slightly in a puppyish way. She smiled again, pulling back her kimono to reach her bag. Inuyasha’s eyes widened.  
“Sango you’re...” he cleared his throat as the woman looked to him. “That perverted monk finally hounded you to ‘carry on the family’s mission’ did he?” He gestured towards her visibly pregnant stomach. Sango smiled happily to Shuri as she replied.  
“Yeah, he’s persistent if nothing else,” she said, handing Shuri the stick of sugar. Inuyasha drifted off for a moment, remembering the _‘lollipops’_ and _‘candy’_ Kagome used to bring back from her time for Shippo – sometimes even for him…  
  
“Sango?” he asked quietly, making the demon slayer look to him. “You…you two…and Shippo and Kohaku…you’re doing alright?” Sango smiled slightly.  
“We are,” she got to her feet, “apart from you holding Kilala hostage.” Inuyasha smirked as he noted the joking tone to her voice. “What is it that you wanted so _desperately_ to talk to me about?” Inuyasha sighed, glancing to the boy who was munching on the stick of sugar Sango had given him – looking painfully adorable whilst doing so - even Inuyasha had to admit it, though naturally not aloud. _How am I supposed to tell her with him standing right there?_  
“Let’s go back to the campsite; I have things to tell you.”  


***

Inuyasha’s ears twitched unconsciously, as he tried to think of a way to explain it to her, (without getting another slap upside his head with that damn boomerang! - Especially since the wench - quite rightly - always seemed to take Kagome's side). His golden gaze moved from where he stood with Sango at the edge of the clearing, secluded in the trees’ shadow, to linger over Shuri, who was attacking another sweet that Sango had given him to pacify him while she and Inuyasha _talked_ – or, while she waited for Inuyasha to talk it seemed.  
  
“Inuyasha,” she said finally after a few long moments, “enough of the thinking, it’s so unlike you its scaring me.” The demon slayer knew something was _definitely_ wrong for him not to retaliate with his usual temper. “Inuyasha, seriously, what’s-”  
“-I need you to take him, Sango.” He said almost sorrowfully, not taking his eyes off of him. Perhaps because he was too ashamed to look at Sango, or perhaps because he knew that he wouldn’t be able to look at him much longer, he didn’t really know.  
“What?”  
“Kagome sent him to me, before she died, but…” Sango blinked in confusion at him. “But he is so…weak, and dependant, he needs constant attention and care and… _love_ …and I know that’s not his fault but…I can’t give it to him…” Inuyasha didn’t have to look at her to _feel_ her scowling at him, _women have a way of doing that_ , he thought.  
“But Kagome-”  
“-Is _dead_ …” he muttered, his bangs fall into his eyes so that she couldn’t see his brewing tears, “…because of me. If I hadn’t sent her away, she never would have…” he blinked away the tears, recovering himself slightly. “So how can I raise her kid knowing that? Besides, I never exactly had many good examples of parenting, at least none that lasted very long – I don’t know how to look after him, heck I can barely look after myself!”  
  
Sango watched him, carefully selecting her words so as not to piss him off too much. “But he’s your son, not mine-”  
“-Exactly…and the least I can do for him, is give him a better chance at life than I had. Everyone who I’ve ever loved or who has ever loved me has paid dearly for it...”  
“Inuyasha-”  
“-My father, my mother, Kikyo, Kagome – not him, okay?” His hands that were hanging loosely at his sides, curled into fists, puncturing the skin of his palms with his claws. “Why can't you people just understand...” he sighed, tired from all this - from everything! “The least I can do for him, after killing his mother is to not let him suffer the same fate… I’ve made up my mind…Kaede won’t take him…so…” He looked at her for the first time since he’d started the conversation, and she almost cried herself at the desperate look in his eyes. “Please…I’ve never begged anyone for _anything_ in my life, but… _please_ …take him?” Sango bit her lip nervously. “Please Sango, there’s no one else I can trust.”  
  
A long silence fell between them, which Inuyasha allowed only because it was a very important decision she had to make. Nevertheless, the silence was killing him.  
“Inuyasha, I-”  
“-Ummm, Inuyasha?” Inuyasha turned to see Shuri blinking his sleepy amethyst eyes at him.  
“Yeah?” he replied, hating the fact that the kid felt the need to call him by his name. The boy looked to Sango, flushing, before tugging on Inuyasha’s haori sleeve, making Inuyasha bend down so he was level with him, so he could whisper something in his ear. Inuyasha rolled his eyes before following Shuri in the opposite direction of the clearing, mouthing the word _‘toilet’_ to Sango as he went. Sango looked down to Kilala as the cat-demon nuzzled herself against her legs.  
“What are we gonna do Kilala?” she asked her with a sigh, as she watched Inuyasha and Shuri fade into the darkness. She had absolutely no idea whether to say yes or no to Inuyasha’s request, but she knew when he came back she’d need to be ready with the answer. _Inuyasha never was one for being patient_ , she thought.  


***

Inuyasha tapped his claws on his folded arms as he remained with his eyes closed, propped up against a tree, ears pricked and alert for any signs of trouble, and any signs of Shuri scampering off too far out of his line of hearing. “Ain’t ya done yet?” he asked gruffly.  
“No,” Shuri replied quietly.  
“Sheesh, for such a little guy you sure pee a lot.” He sensed the blush, and sighed again. _Kagome, you always were too soft on Shippo, obviously you babied Shuri too. You should’ve been tougher on him…he’s way too delicate for a half-demon…  
  
_ Suddenly Inuyasha picked up on the scent that had been tracking him and Shuri ever since they left the village. _Dammit…_ “Shuri?”  
“Yeah?” came the voice from a little ways away to his left. _And the scent is on my right…_ He sensed Shuri coming back towards him, and the scent to his right seemed to as well, it was heading straight for them. Inuyasha leapt off through the grass, landing next to Shuri and crushing him to the ground alongside him. “What is it?” Shuri asked, his voice (and body) shaken from being so suddenly crushed to the ground. Inuyasha silenced him with a hand over his mouth.  
“Stay here, don’t move, don’t make a sound, got it?” Shuri nodded, Inuyasha’s behaviour obviously scaring him, and he watched him as the older half-demon got to his feet, marching back in the opposite direction.  
  
Inuyasha growled under his breath as a figure emerged into his line of vision. The creature smirked at the growl.  
“Nice to see you haven’t forgotten my face, Little Brother.”  
“Keh, how could I forget, especially that foul scent of yours. It’s only been five years.”  
“Indeed.” Inuyasha noted Sesshômaru’s eyes flickering over the bushes and trees, sniffing the air lightly. _Dammit, he can smell Shuri!  
_ “What the hell do you want?” asked Inuyasha winced slightly as he cut into his palm with his claws again, though purposefully this time, trying to use his blood to mask Shuri’s scent, not sure if it would work on someone like Sesshômaru.  
“Do I require an excuse to want to see you?” Inuyasha mentally scoffed at the idea.  
“Yeah, right. You haven’t wanted to see me since I was born, what makes things different now?” That cold exterior melted into a smirk, and Inuyasha’s blood ran cold – he knew what was coming.  
“Don’t I have any sort of right to see my nephew?” Inuyasha growled again, _ass-hole, how the hell did he…?  
  
_ Inuyasha’s thoughts cut off as he distinctly heard Shuri move, and the way Sesshômaru’s golden eyes darted to the place behind him told him that Sesshômaru had as well.  
“Stay where you are Sesshômaru,” threatened Inuyasha as Sesshômaru moved forwards. He didn’t stop. “I mean it!” He didn’t have a problem with slashing his brother to tiny pieces if he was alone, but he didn’t want Shuri to see something like that. After all, he remembered exactly what it was like having to see things like that at that age. It was as if Sesshômaru knew very well he wouldn’t strike, and that cocky smirk that played at his lips never faltered even when the Tetsusaiga transformed in Inuyasha’s hands and pointed directly at him. Sesshômaru stopped in front of Inuyasha.  
  
“Intending to fight me in front of your son? Not very fatherly of you Inuyasha.”  
“Keh, screw you! Who asked you anyway?”  
“Well _someone_ needs to give you some advice, since it seems that you’re not doing a very good job of it on your own. What’s the matter Little Brother? I would have thought Kagome had trained you better than that.” Inuyasha snarled.  
“Asshole, you don’t know any-”  
“-Oh don’t I? Strangely enough Inuyasha, I know _exactly_ what happened between the two of you that night?” Sesshômaru felt satisfied at the anger radiating off his brother.  
“How-”  
“-The smell of your demon side and _evidence_ of everything _else_ was more than enough for me to figure it all out. It would have been unavoidable to any demon that was passing by.” Sesshômaru clicked his tongue, “not a very good example for him are you Inuyasha? Being as you’re the reason his mother is dead.” Inuyasha flinched at the comment, the sudden stillness from Shuri meaning that he’d most certainly heard it. _Damn Bastard_ , Inuyasha thought, tightening his grip on the sword.  
“You think you’re so clever? You’re not exactly a great person either are you? You abandoned father when he came to protect _me_ , meaning _you’re_ the reason he’s dead, and you abandoned me to boot, heck you can’t even admit you protect a little girl, you’re just a heartless bastard!”  
  
Silence fell between the brothers, and Inuyasha growled in annoyance that that smirk was still plastered over that pale face. “Dammit would you stop smiling at me like that!”  
“I can’t keep myself from laughing at your stupidity Inuyasha.”  
“Me stupid? Let’s see who’s stupid when I shove my sword in your gut.”  
“You think you’re a saint compared to me Inuyasha? You think me _stupid_ for not showing my emotions to an otherwise unrelated human girl? _You_ can’t even love your own flesh and blood. _You_ are the one who in some way killed everyone who’s ever loved you, including that boy’s mother. _You_ are the one that met your only son and directly after doing so, tried to push him off on that old priestess.” Inuyasha flinched – he knew Shuri had heard that as well, he could smell the salt of his tears on the air. “So desperate to get rid of him you even asked that demon slayer as well, is my guess, that’s why you and she are suddenly meeting after five years of no contact.” Sesshômaru paused to let the effect of his words sink in to _both_ of the half-demons. “Do you deny it?” Inuyasha remained silent. “Can you honestly say you weren’t trying to get rid of him? That you told the old woman you didn’t want him? Face it Inuyasha, the moment he appeared you’ve resented him, haven’t you?”  
“Shut up!” screamed Inuyasha. “You – you know _nothing_ …if you think you’re so much better than me then why don’t you do what you’ve done ever since I was born and take everything from me?! Go ahead – take him!”  
  
Both brothers looked round as Shuri emerged from his hiding place, tears spilling from his purple eyes down his cheeks, staring hurtfully at Inuyasha. Inuyasha felt like he wanted to rip out his tongue for what he’d just said. It was ten-times worse than when he’d put his foot in it and hurt Kagome’s feelings, which were bad enough – he’d out-rightly said he didn’t want him, when he (Inuyasha that is) was all that Shuri had.  
  
Suddenly Inuyasha found himself remembering all the times Kagome had caught him with Kikyo – that same, mournful, wounded gaze that made his heart bleed – it was right there now, he may have been the image of Inuyasha, but he’d only _ever_ seen one person give him such a disappointed, pained look. “Shuri, I-” he was cut off as the boy turned and darted off into the forest. Completely ignoring Sesshômaru’s presence, Inuyasha shoved the Tetsusaiga back in its sheath – running after him. Sesshômaru shook his head slightly.  
“He doesn’t belong with you, Little Brother. We both know what happens to anyone who gets close to you – and we both know that there have been quite enough deaths in this world; that boy shouldn’t have to be one of them…”  


***

“Shuri! Shuri stop!” Inuyasha yelled, and the boy halted, not facing him, his hair hanging into his eyes the very way his would when he was upset. “Shuri, listen I-”  
“-Is it true?” the boy asked croakily.  
“Is what true?” Inuyasha asked him softly, trying to calm him down.  
“Did you kill Mummy?” Inuyasha swallowed.  
“It’s not that simple. Before you were born, something happened between your mother and me. And I sent her away to protect her from it ever happening again, but…what I didn’t know was that she had you, and all those things happened in your time. What Sesshômaru - that guy said, he…he was right in some ways…if I hadn’t sent Kagome away, she wouldn’t have died…” Shuri shuddered, Inuyasha couldn’t tell if it was from anger or crying but he knew it wasn’t the cold.  
“But you…you don’t want me, do you?” Inuyasha froze; he didn’t know what to say. “That’s why you wouldn’t let me go in with you to see that old lady, and that’s why the nice lady who gave me the sweets was talking to you. You wanted them to take me away, so you didn’t have to see me anymore. ‘Cause you hate me, don’t you?” Inuyasha frowned at the pitiful note of his voice, and reached forward to touch his shoulder in some form of reassurance, but the boy recoiled from his touch, turning on his heel to face him, anger screaming in his amethyst orbs.  
  
“Mummy was wrong when she told me about you!” Inuyasha was taken aback by his voice, yelling and full of seething anger that he’d never heard from _any_ child of that age, least of all Shuri, who was everything meek and timid. “She told me you were brave, and strong, and kind…but you’re not! You’re just mean and horrible!” Inuyasha frowned.  
“Now listen to me Pup!” he said sternly – this was getting out of hand. “I-”  
“-I don’t want you to be my Daddy anymore! You don’t love me at all,” Shuri broke down slightly, tears still raging down his cheeks, “not like Mummy did! Mummy spent everyday trying to keep those people from taking me, but you can’t do any more to give me away! I – I – I-” Shuri choked on his tears slightly, wiping them furiously from his eyes only to have them replaced moments later. “-I HATE YOU! I WISH MUMMY WAS HERE, NOT YOU! I WISH YOU WERE THE ONE WHO WAS GONE! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU AND I WANT MY MUMMY BACK!!!”  
  
Inuyasha felt tears prick at the backs of his eyes as he watched Shuri run off into the darkness. _What have I done?_ He thought, _he…he **hates** me? Doesn’t he know that if there were any way to trade Kagome’s life for mine I’d do it in an instant? But I can’t, and I can’t give Kagome back to him. I can’t give him anything, that’s why I…I **never** hated him…I never did, I just wanted him to be safe… I just didn’t want his blood on my hands like everyone else’s…I…I **never** didn’t love him…  
  
_ Suddenly he stopped as he heard a scream in the direction Shuri had gone, as well as the smell of blood. His eyes widened. _Shit! No, please no!_ He thought desperately as he shot off in the direction of the scream, and the blood. _Please – please let him be okay!_  
  
TBC


	6. Quandary

_Quandary  
_ ~Chapter Six~  
  
  
  
  
  
Inuyasha winced at the branches snagging on his flesh as he tore through the trees. _Dammit No! I can’t lose him – I **won’t** lose him!_ The half-demon skidded to a halt, golden eyes darting around the clearing. He could sense blood. Cautiously stepping forwards in the dimness, Inuyasha unsheathed his sword, the blade transforming in his hands. Something about the unnatural silence of the forest unnerved him. Where the hell was he? _If anything happens to him, I’ll...  
_ “Shuri?!” His ears pricked, straining to hear any slight sound. But not even the wind shifted. “Wanna make some noise kid?” He called. Suddenly he heard it. Swivelling round he found himself faced with the same darkness – the same shadows of the trees. But he had heard it, the distinct sound of a struggle.  
  
His toes shifted distractedly, pawing at some of the loose soil off the ground, as he waited. But the soil felt odd, looking down he noted where the scent of blood came from – pristine spatters of blood gleaming with the moonlight caught his sharp senses. It was Shuri’s blood, most definitely. “Damn it…” he cursed under his breath, suddenly remembering why he couldn’t pick Shuri’s scent up so easily, blood still escaping out of the punctures in his palm. _Well it masked his scent all right, but not from who I **wanted** it to!_ “Shuri?!” If he had sounded desperate that time – he _was_!  
  
All of a sudden, his ears perked up again, a deep hoarse breathing sounded from the shadows. “Whatever you are show yourself!” Eerie crimson lights shimmered into view, hovering in midair in the darkness. Inuyasha spent a moment simply staring before he realised they were eyes and that whatever it was they were attached to had Shuri’s blood all over it. “Pretty eyes,” Inuyasha said sarcastically, beginning to be both annoyed and afraid. “Wanna show me the rest of ya?” he yelled, sounding a little braver than he felt. For some reason, when Shuri was involved, he didn’t feel so sure of himself. When no reply came from the creature, Inuyasha stepped towards it. “Not got much to say for yourself have you? Well that’s just fine with me,” his clawed fingers tightened around his sword as he stopped a mere few feet away from – _whatever_ it was. “Just tell me where the hell is my son?!”  
  
A deafening silence that was punctuated with a scuffling noise whispered through the clearing; there was a hoarse intake of breath before the creature’s grated, almost reptilian voice rang in half-demon ears.  
“What makes you think I had anything to do with him?”  
“You’re covered in his blood!” Inuyasha growled at the evil snigger that came from the darkness. “Just what the hell did you do to him you bastard?!”  
“Insolent half-breed!” Before he could blink, sharp talons shot from the darkness, ripping into his side, sending him skidding across the ground, as a chilling scream screeched in Inuyasha’s ears. “How dare a mongrel such as you speak up to a demon?” Inuyasha winced, pushing himself off the ground, rubbing the dirt from his eyes, taking in the appearance of the reptilian demon that had emerged from the shadows.  
“Pretty rich talk, you can’t be all that important if your scent can be covered by a mere child’s blood,” Inuyasha goaded, not at all liking the sick grimace that spread over the demon’s face.  
“ _’A mere’_ child? Well if he’s so unimportant to you-” Inuyasha’s eyes widened as he suddenly noticed Shuri, the demon’s claws clenched around him, tightening dangerously around his frail skin. “-maybe he’s worthless after all.” Tear-stained purple orbs watched Inuyasha pleadingly, and Inuyasha bit his lower lip, faltering slightly in his brave façade. A roaring laugh filled the clearing. “That face, a parent in anguish is the most rewarding sight.”  
  
Inuyasha growled again, a little louder this time.  
“What the hell do you want? Let him go, he’s just a kid-”  
“-Don’t play with me half-demon, you know what it is I seek…”  
“If I knew I’d say so already!”  
“This boy…” rumbled the demon, sniffing Shuri’s silver hair slightly, making the boy flinch. “He _reeks_ of the sacred jewel. Where is it?” Inuyasha’s eyes widened again.  
“I…I don’t know where it is-”  
“-Don’t lie to me half-demon, or I’ll snap this boy’s neck,” the demon threatened, his claws tightening around his throat, making Shuri wince and cry out.  
“Bastard! I don’t know where it is! I haven’t seen it for five years!” The demon’s grip tightened again, as a spare claw pressed against Shuri’s already bleeding arm, making the boy scream out in agony.  
“It hurts! Please – it hurts – make it stop!” Inuyasha flinched. Those cries hit him harder than any blow he’d _ever_ been dealt in his two-hundred and five years of life.  
“Stop it NOW!” yelled Inuyasha, darting for the Tetsusaiga where it had fallen. The demon sniggered, swiping five wide gashes across Inuyasha’s arm, the sword flying out of his reach. Inuyasha screamed, skidding to a halt on his knees, doubling over in the sudden rush of pain across his side from the earlier attack.  
  
“N-No… _shit_ …n-not now…” he growled under his breath, his entire body flooding with a burning desire – not the familiar fear, the desire to live – but something so very different, and foreign to his mind. He mentally screamed in protest as he felt his control slip further and further from his reach. He bit down into the ground with his lengthened claws, cursing as his golden eyes bled as crimson as the blood pouring from his wounds. “Ka-Kagome…!” he found himself crying out, though he couldn’t understand why, as he felt himself slip away.  
  
Tears streamed down pale cheeks as the pain in Shuri’s arm burned through him. Shuri cried out again, before watching his father stand steadily on his feet, two eerie, lilac stripes marked across his cheeks. Suddenly he felt the demon’s grip on him loosen, as he tumbled to the floor. Scrambling onto his feet, Shuri’s eyes widened as he saw the demon’s severed arm lying next to him on the bloodied ground. Looking up, he caught sight of Inuyasha, his longer claws tearing through scaled flesh, covering himself in the creature’s dark blood. Shuri shivered in horror, stumbling backwards as he watched his father ripping this thing to pieces. Suddenly the little half-demon felt a sharp force around his middle, pulling him backwards onto his backside. His head turned, trying to see who it was, as the grip around him tightened to the point he almost couldn’t breathe.  
  
Shuri looked up into the demon slayer’s face, before she turned her face into his chest, blinding him to the sight of Inuyasha. The half-demon flinched at the sound of the demon’s screams, and the tearing flesh, feeling the woman’s soft hands come to cover his ears.  
“What’s going on? What’s he doing?” asked Shuri. Sango only squeezed him tighter, as Kilala eyed Inuyasha warily, unsure what he was going to do next.  
  
Inuyasha practically growled in satisfaction, at the liberated feeling the blood running down his claws gave him. The demon – or _parts_ of the demon spread across the clearing gave him a satisfaction he hadn’t felt in five years. The lust for the kill was still burning like an eternal fire inside of his body, and it was far from sated. Turning in the direction of the quivering boy and the demon slayer, a sick grin spread across his bloodstained face. As his feet moved across the bloodied earth, an irrelevant internal voice screamed inside his head. _Stop it! STOP IT!!!_ “What’s the matter Shuri?” growled demon Inuyasha, a rasping sound that didn’t belong to the _real_ Inuyasha in his voice. “Don’t you recognize your own father?” Shuri turned his head in Inuyasha’s direction, as if contemplating his words. This man, he was different, for sure, his eyes, nails, and face, they were different but…it was…still Inuyasha, wasn’t it?  
  
Shuri fought against Sango’s hold, trying to get to his feet. “No Shuri, you can’t,” she insisted, pulling him back.  
“Why not?” asked demon Inuyasha, “he’s only being a good son, right Shuri?” Shuri winced, yelping slightly as Sango squeezed him too hard, pressing against his wounded arm. As a result, Sango loosened her hold, and the boy broke free of her grip. “Shuri, no!”  
“That’s it little one, come here…” Shuri blinked confusedly. Whatever Inuyasha had done to that monster, he had done to save him. Kagome had once said she’d do anything to keep him safe, wasn’t this just the same thing? He wasn’t sure, all he was sure of was that this was surely his father, and he was finally accepting him, wasn’t he?  
  
  
Shuri stopped a little way from him, hearing demon Inuyasha’s knuckles crack, making him uneasy. “What’s wrong?” asked Inuyasha, moving to span the little distance between them. _You took Kagome; you **can’t** take him as well! Stop it!_ Inuyasha came closer, and Sango stumbled to her feet, chasing towards them. “Stay where you are demon slayer,” barked Inuyasha, “this isn’t your business!” Shuri blinked up at his father. If it _was_ him, why was he so different? What was going on? Inuyasha smirked, his white canines making the boy shudder slightly, and Shuri took a nervous step back. Inuyasha placed his clawed hand on Shuri’s shoulder, holding him in his place. “What are you so afraid of?” he asked, before raising his other hand. Shuri flinched as he saw the claws coming down on him, not able to pull free of his grip. _Stop it! NO!!!_  
  
TBC


	7. Fatherhood

_Fatherhood  
_ ~Chapter Seven~  
  
  
  
  
  
“What are you so afraid of?” he asked, before raising his other hand. Shuri flinched as he saw the claws coming down on him, not able to pull free of his grip. _Stop it! NO!!!  
  
_ A deafening howl of agony tore through the air. Shuri stumbled backwards onto his backside in his sudden rush to get away, as he watched Inuyasha's blood trickle down his mangled arm, Sesshomaru's claws embedded in his forearm.  
"Get _away_ boy," Sesshomaru growled at Shuri, yanking hard on his brother's arm and throwing him backwards. Shuri scrambled back, away from the sudden battle the two brothers had thrown themselves into. Glassy amethyst eyes watched as Inuyasha sank his teeth into Sesshomaru's leg, crimson fluid staining the white material, his father's eyes as dark as the blood flowing down onto his face. Faced with those ominous _bleeding_ eyes of his father, he couldn't summon the courage to turn and run, even to move - he was frozen to the spot, not even registering the other silver-haired man teling him to run, as Inuyasha tore into him.  
  
Suddenly Sesshomaru, not even flinching from Inuyasha's assault, cracked Inuyasha in the back of his neck with his elbow, sending the 'would-be' half-demon crumbling to the floor. The snarling monster's eyes flashed back and forth from their original gold to the bloody red.  
"Admit your defeat you worthless creature," Sesshomaru muttered, staring blankly at his half-brother. The demon Inuyasha growled angrilly at him, clearly either not listening or not understanding. A mere smirk crept across the full demon's pale face as Inuyasha rose to his feet, lunging for Sesshomaru once more. Shuri's eyes widened as he watched the other man's claws lengthen, before ripping into his father's flesh. Suddenly with a very human scream of pain that tore from Inuyasha's throat, his violently flashing eyes, seeming confused as whether to be red or gold, fell upon Shuri. Inuyasha collided with the ground, turning to fend Sesshomaru off him - not before Shuri caught something in his eyes. Without thinking he dashed forward, ignoring the screams of protest from the demon slayer as he all but threw himself at Sesshomaru. "Stop it!" Everyone in the clearing froze with the raised voice, even Sesshomaru's exteterior showing slight surprise at the small boy, who was demanding of him. Sesshomaru released Inuyasha, who glared up at him through golden eyes. The full demon just stared back, not moving.  
"You continued to fight me even though you had regained your senses?" Sesshomaru asked, Inuyasha replying with a bloodstained smirk. "Foolish half-demon..." He growled, turning away, both Inuyasha and Shuri watching him go, but both with very different expressions on their faces.  
  
Inuyasha scrambled to his feet gracelessly. Sesshomaru paused, but did not turn round, as Inuyasha approached. "Something _else_ I can do for you Little brother?" Sesshomaru asked, and Inuyasha almost sneered, not liking the way he had said _'else'_ \- because he knew very well that he was now in Sesshomaru's debt. Something he'd been trying to avoid ever since he learned he had a brother.  
"Thank you..." the half-demon mumbled, so that only Sesshomaru could hear.  
"What for?"  
"You know what for - for..." The half-demon dropped his voice again as it began to rise, "for stopping me from...making another mistake..."  
"Indeed, despite what you may think, I didn't do it for you..." Inuyasha rolled his eyes.  
"Can't you just accept a thank you?" Sesshomaru paused a moment, still smirking.  
"Very well little brother, very well..." he replied softly, before continuing into the darkness.  
  
A long, awkward silence fell over those remaining in the clearing, Inuyasha not able to meet Shuri's eyes, even as he felt the boy's heavy gaze bearing down on him, along with the scolding, angry gaze that only a woman could give, that he was recieving from Sango.  
"Inuyasha?" The half-demon turned slowly, meeting the small boy's gaze wearily. He was so tired. So tired of being on edge in case something might happen, in case this very thing - his own demon blood turning on him and making him strike out again and the people he cared about. _Why?_ thought Inuyasha, staring with emotional eyes at the still clearly frightened little boy in front of him. _Why can't I **ever** just have something for myself?! Every **damn** time I ever have a little bit of happiness, or even just content it's stolen away from me and the people who gave me that love, that peace of mind, they're punished for it..._ "What kind of logic is this _sick_ world working on...?" Inuyasha growled under his breath, refraining from the urge he felt to scream it at the top of his lungs. "Is it just so wrong for me to be happy...?" Shuri must have caught the words that time, or maybe he just sensed something about the way Inuyasha's bangs hung into his eyes, his ears cocked slightly to the side, but either way, Inuyasha looked up slightly, as he felt something slide into his had. He looked down, biting back tears as he felt the reassuring wamrth of Shuri's hand in his, squeezing softly. _I...I can't....I can't ever love him the way he needs me to, it'll just end in disaster, like it nearly did today...  
  
_ Sango and Kilala approached the two half-demon's, the both of them watching Inuyasha warily as if waiting for him to explode. "Inuyasha," said Sango quitely, "I-"  
"-Shuri?" The half-demon looked up at his father, "your arm must hurt alot..." Amethyst eyes blinked at him curiously, his puppy ears almost seeming to perk at the concern in Inuyasha's voice. But the boy didn't answer. "Let's go-"  
"-No one gave you option to make the decision, half-breed." Inuyasha spun on his heel, shoving Shuri behind him as he growled menacingly at the fully regenerated demon before him.  
"What the _hell_ are you?" asked Inuyasha snatching up the Tetsusaiga. That foul, throaty laughter broke from the demon's mouth, and Inuyasha felt Shuri cling just that little bit tighter to his hakama.  
"I will be the one to ask questions, you mongrel," snapped the demon, clearly being ripped to shreds by _'a mere half-demon'_ not improving his mood any, though why should it have? "Where is the Sacred Jewel?" Inuyasha growled again, both in warning and annoyance.  
"Listen ass-hole, I don't fucking know, so drop it already!"  
"I MUST have the Sacred Jewel!" Inuyasha darted forwards, slashing at the creature's body with his sword, the gilded blade rented into the scaley hide. The hirakoitsu followed the attack as Sango slung it towards the demon taking off the its remaining arm. Hoarse laughter sounded once more. "Foolish little insects! You cannot destroy me by destroying my body, I will just regenerate every single time, and come back stronger than before!" He punctuated the end of the sentence by swiping Inuyasha across his stomach, sending Inuyasha hurtling backwards. The half-demon landed on his feet, almost like a cat, recovering just in time to see the demon charging towards Shuri. "You reek of the Sacred Jewel! Where is it?!" Inuyasha leapt forwards, throwing his body into the jump and snatching hold of Shuri, skidding to a halt in the dirt with the little boy in his arms. He winced slightly as he sat up, looking down at the boy underneath him, shielded from the demon.  
"Shuri?" Inuyasha asked, his eyes widening at the pale, unconcious face. "Shuri, wake up!"  
"What a disgustingly pathetic display of affection," spat the demon, "Now I will ask you one more time, before I tear off your faces - Where is the Sacred Jewel?!"  
  
Suddenly a dark void opened from nowhere, the shrill sounds of the demon's screams causing Inuyasha to flick his ears back against his head at the deafening noise, watching the creature's body sucked into the abyss. Within moments, all was deathly quiet, save for a harsh, laboured breathing, that belonged solely to the indigo clad monk, who stepped out of the shadows, a wide, ' _cheshire cat'_ -like grin on his face.  
"So I said to myself," chirped the monk as he regained his breath, "what could be taking my dearest Sango so long? Could it be she's killed Inuyasha, or is in the slow and painful process of castrating him as she had promised to do if she ever saw him again-" The demon slayer was glad of the slight gulp she was sure she heard from Inuyasha. "-or perhaps a demon. Of course, when I arrived, and bumped into Sesshomaru, I guessed trouble, and now I see it was the latter." He came towards Sango, patting her stomach in a _would be_ fatherly way, although the perverted grin on his face said otherwise.  
"See you're still a lecherous pervert," Inuyasha mumbled, narrowing his eyes at the man. Miroku practically chuckled.  
"Ah, yes, alas I fear this trait of mine is a life-long one, _however_ ," he paused, stressing a lecherous tone on the last word, "I am pleased to say I am no longer a philanderer." Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.  
"Well, ain't that reasurring?" he said sarcastically, casting his gaze back to his unconcious son, stroking aside his bangs to feel his temperature.  
"Yes, well you see I-" he cut off, stopping just behind the half-demon, and looking with a puzzled frown over his shoulder. "Who's that?" he squeaked. Inuyasha ignored him for the moment, stripping himself of his red kimono and wrapping it round Shuri's freezing body, holding him to his chest. "This is my son, Shuri, I'd introduce you but he's got more important things right now...like living!" he growled, pulling the boy up into his arms as he got to his feet.  


***

The warmth inside the cave that had been Inuyasha's home for the past few years, brought the colour back to Shuri's cheeks as Inuyasha grumbled under his breath, cleaning the gash in the boy's arm as best he could (remembering Kagome's _'first aid'_ thingy, and how very useful it would be if they had it now). Pulling the furs up round the boy's naked torso, unconciously patting his silver hair softly, willing him to open his eyes. "I'm so sorry kid," Inuyasha said quietly, "I really messed things up for you..." his voice filled with emotion, stroking the puppy ears gently. "For a start I gave you these damn things," he growled with a forced laugh, referring to the furry ears, "not something I'd ever wish for my kids to inherit... the weight of being branded a half-demon is a tough weight to bear...I remember, how I would have torn the damn things of my head if it'd make people...make them love me, accept me, _want_ me...If there was one thing I _knew_ I wanted, it was that if I ever _did_ have kids, they'd be able to pass for full demon, or full human, because..." he broke off once more, biting his lip to distract himself from the tears that were screaming to be cried out. "Because belonging to neither world,just lingering between, not really belonging anywhere...it's a lonely place to be, and I...I wanted better for you, than what I lived through, but now I - I've only fucked _everything_ up so that you've suffered twice as much." He looked to the boy's face again, as if expecting him to answer, even in his unconcious state.  
  
"I sent your mother away, and she died, because of me.... you suffered, because of me, you had to deal with people, taunting and gawping at you like you were some _freak_ when in reality..." he sighed, his eyes turning glassy, "you're the most amazing thing I've ever seen..." Sango and Miroku, who were by the fire with Kilala, had fallen silent, in one of those, ' utter determination to seem like they _weren't_ over hearing' silences, though Inuyasha didn't much care at the moment - _at all!_ "If, I could ask for one thing," he rasped, his voice husky with the steadily overpowering emotions. "The one thing I'd ask for would be to be able to see you, or...to hold you were you were younger...I think, if only to be able to see your eyes open for the first time, just to know that..." he cut off, unable to finish. From his trials and adventures across feudal japan, and falling in love with a girl from five-hundred-years into the future, he'd learned alot about time, how it's powerful, how everything happens for a reason, and it wasn't to be messed with. Despite that, he felt like he'd break down the system of time itself if only to go back and undo that one foolish decision, that destroyed everything...  
"That?" asked a small broken voice, and Inuyasha looked to the boy again, seeing purple eyes watching him glassily.  
"T-That...there's at least one thing in this world that I've done that wasn't tearing things apart... Shuri, you have to know I never-" Inuyasha blinked, looking down at Shuri for a moment, before getting to his feet. Everyone in the cave looked at him questioningly, and Inuyasha turned to Sango. "Sango, set him to bed, I-I'll be back in a moment."  
  
Sango noticed the dejected look on the younger half-demon's face as Inuyasha disapeared from view. Kneeling down beside the bed, Sango smiled warmly at him.  
"Don't worry Shuri, he's probably just going to do as nature intended." The boy forced a weak smile, but she could tell he was still upset.  
"It's not it's because...Inuyasha doesn't love me..." Sango frowned.  
"Shuri that's not true-"  
"-Yes it is!" He whimpered, tears falling down his cheeks. "That's why he wants to get rid of me!" Sango stroked his hair softly, trying to reassure him, but watched the little furry ears flatten against his skull defiantly, reminding her immensely of Inuyasha. "I want Mummy back... why can't she just come back?" Sango bit her lip, unsure of how to answer.  
"Because...because she's gone, Shuri," she said gently, "she sent you to Inuyasha, because she knew he'd look after you, after she was gone, because..." she paused a moment, when she realised he wasn't really listening. "Do you know what I believe Shuri? You know how everyone was after you for being _different_?" Shuri nodded, unsure of where she was going with this. "Inuyasha, he never had a father, and he lost his Mummy just like you, and he's been through _everything_ you went through, and that's why he's like he is. That's why he can't always open up like people like you and me. You see, Inuyasha, he understands you, and that's why he wants to send you away, because he wants to give you the happiness he never got to have. He believes that he will hurt you, like he almost did today, if you stay with him, but I know better... and I believe Kagome did as well."  
"What does that mean?" he asked quietly, suddenly reminding the demon slayer he was still just a little boy. She smiled at him again.  
"That you've got a power in you that will stop him every time he loses control."  
"What's that?"  
"Kagome..."  
  
Sango almost jumped out of her skin as she felt a presence behind her, turning only to see Inuyasha lurking behind her. "Inuyasha! Don't sneak up on people like that!" Inuyasha rolled his eyes.  
"Keh! Don't get so dainty on me woman, go sit with your pervy husband." Sango couldn't stop the smile from twitching at her lips as she got up, returning to the fireside.  
  
Inuyasha knelt down beside the bed of furs, distinctly avoiding Shuri's eyes as he fiddled with something inside his kimono. Inuyasha could feel the boy's gaze on him, but he knew what he wanted, and he couldn't give it to him. He couldn't open up, and be a real father, he couldn't let himself love anyone _ever_ again. Shuri's safety came first. But it was so hard, and he knew it would get harder, especially when he knew all he wanted was to hold him, to feel _some_ form of comfort, and give him some in return, like he hadn't felt since Kagome had left. "Daddy?" Inuyasha's gaze shot up, meeting Shuri's gaze so quickly that it made the boy jump.  
"What did you just say?" Inuyasha asked, in shock.  
"I-I'm sorry, I-"  
"-No, I - It's okay I just...you've never called me that before," the older half-demon muttered, blinking back watery eyes. Realising that over the last couples of days he'd suddenly found many tears fighting to surface, along with those damned emotions he'd fought for so long to keep hidden. Kagome and Kikyo both had pushed past layers of his heart to see but a glimpse of his emotions, and Shuri, with one word had scaled the walls around his heart and delved deeper than _anyone_ had gone. _Is this what it's like, to be a father? I feel stronger, yet more vulnerable and weak, all at the same time._ Inuyasha found more tears surfacing as he thought that.  
"Daddy?" the boy asked again, and Inuyasha just looked at him. "I'm sorry...for the mean things I yelled at you." Inuyasha smiled.  
"It's okay, Shuri, what you said was...most of those things I needed to hear...besides...I _should_ be the one who was - _gone_ \- and you have to know, if there was any way for me to take Kagome's place and give you your mother back I would...but as it is, I-"  
"-You _do_ love me, don't you Daddy?" Inuyasha blinked at the question.  
"I... _here_ ," he said, disregarding the question, delving into his kimono. Shuri's eyes widened, as Inuyasha pulled the familiar tattered white cloth out of his kimono. "I noticed that you dropped it," Inuyasha muttered quietly, and he almost regretted going back and getting it at the sight of that look on the boy's face. The look that could mean he was happy or was going to cry, but could be either.  
  
An overwhelming emotion swept over him, and almost unconciously, Inuyasha rubbed the soft fabric up and down his cheek softly, before letting the blanket fall completely into Shuri's grasp, pausing to drop a kiss on his forehead as he got to his feet. Nervously, but in remembering something Shuri had once said before, Inuyasha spoke quietly to him, in wishing him, "Sweet dreams." As Inuyasha went to turn, he watched Shuri tilt his head slightly, widening his arms, inviting him in for an embrace. The older half-demon leant down, squeezing him softly, breathing in the painfully familiar smell of Kagome that came in a mix of himself in Shuri's scent, almost losing himself in the first moment of comfort anyone had offered him, in what seemed like a millenium. "I...Iove you, Daddy," Shuri said quietly, drifting slowly off towards sleep. Inuyasha felt tears prick the back of his eyes.  
"I...Iove you too, Shuri..." A soft sigh of what he realised was sleep, whispered against his chest, as he felt small fingers twirl through the strands of silver hair hanging over his shoulders. Pulling back and gently disentangling himself from the boy, Inuyasha pulled the furs up over him, before turning, and without a second glance at Sango and Miroku, marched out of the cave.  
  
The cool evening air hit him, as he rested his back against a tree not too far from the cave. He tilted his head back, breathing in deeply, allowing shameless tears to fall down his face, giving into the tears that had been threatening to fall since Shuri's arrival. With no one there to witness but the occasional gentle breeze drying them, Inuyasha just let them fall, enjoying the defeat of being allowed to have some form of release from the emotional hurricane that had been stormig through him. "Thank you..." Inuyasha whispered softly, though he was unsure as to who he was supposed to be talking to. All he knew was that he finally understood _something_ at last. Shuri was the only thing in this world or any other that he loved as much as Kagome, explaining the powerful, burning desire that turned him demon - not to live, but to let Shuri live. And why he had regained control once more, because of Shuri. Why he wanted him gone and to stay at the same time. Love was the most amazingly complicated thing known to both demons and humans alike. It could turn you inside out and upside down and you'd still crave for more of it. It hurt like hell, worse than any other physical form of torture, but still, it had the most powerful emotion that overcame any other. People lived and died for it. Wasn't that exactly the reason why the people Inuyasha had loved and been loved by had all died, because of love? An all fiery consuming love that burned as an evanescent flame before burning out. _No, that's not true,_ he thought, the fire of their love never died out, it was still with him. He still loved his father, though he'd never met him, still loved his mother, Kagome and deep inside his heart after everything a small part still clung to the love he'd once held for Kikyo. And now Shuri, and he supposed in some strange form he loved Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kilala as well. He finally understood. Not why they'd had to die to prove their love for him, but at least that it hadn't been his fault. He didn't kill any of them, as he'd once thought. He'd almost pushed the only one he had left, and the most precious, for the stupid self-pity he'd forced on himself.  
  
 _Things will get better now,_ he thought, shivering as he felt the chill of the mist settling around him. _Things are always darkest before the light, I suppose_... Suddenly he sniffed the air lightly, before realising, he couldn't smell. The building mist around him, obstructing most of his vision, had dulled his sense of smell. _Crap,_ he thought, _I'd better get back to the cave before_... His thoughts trailed off, meshing together in his mind to make nonsense so that he quite forgot what he was going to say, as he stared at the dark silhoette forming not far off in the fog. Whoever, or _whatever_ it was, it was coming his way, and quick! He growled warningly, pulling out the Tetsusaiga, readying for the thing to attack. His ears pricked, straining to hear something, _anything_ about the strange silhoette, but his hearing was dulled too, just enough so that he couldn't pick up the sound of the creature's footsteps, to even chance a guess at what it was. _What the_ **hell** is going on here?  
  
  
  
TBC


	8. Surrealistic

_Surrealistic  
_ ~Chapter Eight~  
  
  
  
  
  
His ears pricked, straining to hear something, _anything_ about the strange silhouette, but his hearing was dulled too, just enough so that he couldn't pick up the sound of the creature's footsteps, to even chance a guess at what it was. _What the **hell** is going on here?  
  
_ Inuyasha squinted, straining to get even a glimpse of who or what the silhouette belonged to, but failing. “Who’s out there?” he called out, getting pretty sick of things attacking him from where they couldn’t see them. As it came closer, he noticed, even through the mist that it was staggering - no, limping? Whatever it was, it was hurt. Suddenly, he heard a distinct growl of frustration, followed by an almost yelp of pain.  
“For the Gods’ sake mutt-face, put that toothpick down!” Inuyasha’s face broke into a smirk. He knew that ignorant, irritating voice anywhere.  
“Kouga ya fleabag, what the hell are you doing out here?” he asked, finally being able to see the wolf-demon properly now he was in front of him, his right leg looking a little worse for wear, five long ashes across it and teeth marks in his left shoulder. “You look like shit.”  
“Keh, thanks. I was caught off guard by a group of demons. A whole bunch of ’em. They weren’t even the same breed but they were determined to tear me apart - together!” Inuyasha sneered as he hoisted the wolf onto his back, heading swiftly back towards the cave.  
“Well, personally I couldn’t think of a better bonding activity.”  
“Whatever, either way they kept yammering about the Sacred Jewel. I thought Kagome had it.” Inuyasha looked thoughtfully at the ground, which was barely visible through the building fog.  
“She did,” he said quietly, “when she left, she took it - as in the whole complete jewel.” Kouga was silent for a moment, before speaking.  
“When Naraku was finally taken down it didn’t take you guys long to collect all the pieces, huh?” Inuyasha sighed.  
“No…Even I had to admit, you were pretty gracious giving up your shards that easily.” Kouga made an indignant noise, but Inuyasha could tell he was doing it to cover up his embarrassment.  
“Kagome asked me for them, I would have given her anything, a few lame _glowy_ shards were no exception. Are you telling me you wouldn’t have done the same?” Inuyasha dropped the wolf on his own two feet, holding aside the make-shift door of the cave.  
“If Kagome had asked me to tear myself inside out I would have done it…” Kouga cocked an eyebrow as he limped into the cave.  
“Pretty strong imagery you’ve got there, you always this violent?” he asked sarcastically, making Inuyasha move in front of him impatiently.  
  
“We’ve got an unwanted guest joining us; the idiot needs his wound tending to.” Inuyasha said carelessly to the monk and the demon slayer, as Kouga slowly lowered himself near the fireside, not really caring that he was pushing himself under Inuyasha’s hospitality. He really came to make sure that the kid was okay. Sure his own wounds were bad, but the amount of blood he smelt in that clearing mixed with Inuyasha’s _full demon_ blood was enough to make him panic. He couldn’t protect Kagome from Inuyasha before, (for he was sure Inuyasha had done something to her), and he had relived the pain of that failure ever since she had _‘mysteriously’_ left. He was not about to fail her again and let Inuyasha get her son killed!  
  
The wolf-demon’s brilliant blue eyes followed Inuyasha as he made his way over to the bed of furs where the little half-demon was curled up, fast asleep, pulling the semi-transparent veil down around it, turning back to the other’s shortly after, as if making a point to Kouga more than anything else.  
“So Kouga, you say a group of demons attacked you?” asked Sango, trying to keep the peace. Kouga winced as Miroku cleaned the wound on his shoulder.  
“Yeah, totally unrelated breeds of demon coming at me from all sides, all ranting about the Sacred Jewel - _“You reek of the Sacred Jewel”_ and whatnot. I haven’t touched the Jewel for five years now, what’s going on here?” They all turned to Inuyasha, who merely shrugged.  
“How am I to know? Kagome took it.” He cast a glance back at Shuri quickly, before continuing to stare into the fire thoughtfully. “Unless…”  
  
A moment passed, where the other members of the group watched Inuyasha, anticipating the continuation of his sentence, only it didn’t come.  
“Unless what?” prodded Miroku.  
“Unless…maybe because you were with Shuri not long ago; and Shuri and the Jewel have something in common.” The others looked confused.  
“Care to elaborate?” asked the monk, clearly voicing what both the wolf-demon and the demon slayer were thinking. Inuyasha sighed, his face showing signs of exhaustion, and that his mind was not entirely with them. It seemed off in some distant place, more than likely (judging by his expression) somewhere with his memories with Kagome…  
“Both Shuri, and the Sacred Jewel, came from inside Kagome…” he muttered quietly. Just as the others were going to correct something about the statement, Inuyasha added, “I know that the Jewel never originated from inside her, but…if Kikyo’s soul was reincarnated as Kagome as they say, then it would explain why the Jewel was inside her body when she came here. I think that…maybe because of that, there was some lingering - power or something, which has now for some reason been passed on to Shuri.” The other three shared a look while Inuyasha gazed intently at the flames, before Sango braved speech.  
  
“Inuyasha? This theory is all well and good, but…what do you think that means?” she asked, really knowing the answer.  
“That Shuri has some deeper connection to the Shikon Jewel, and that’s why to some, he would give off a… _aura_ or _scent_ of it…” Kouga, as usual not believing Inuyasha’s theories, rolled his eyes.  
“ _Or_ , in the more plausible sense, Kagome obviously kept the Jewel, and the scent just rubbed off on the kid because they spent so much time together.” Inuyasha noticed the looks between the others, and that they seemed to agree more with Kouga than him. Aggravated as he was with that fact, for once, he didn’t feel up to sulking or making a scene about it. Inuyasha got to his feet, leaning his arm against the stone wall, his back to them.  
  
“ _Whatever_ the reason,” Inuyasha said quietly after a few more moments silence, “Kagome is dead, the Sacred Jewel is with her, and now because she is dead, I can’t even go back to her to find it.”  
“Why not?” asked Miroku, and Inuyasha turned to face them. They all seemed to be quite dim-witted today.  
“Because I could only pass through the well because Kagome could. I was connected to Kagome through the rosary around my neck,” he grabbed the beads of subjugation to emphasize the point, “and that’s why I was allowed to. But now she’s dead, that connection is broken, and no one can pass through…” Another silence fell, and Inuyasha could almost hear his friends’ and Kouga’s continuous thought.  
“Shuri can…” They all looked shocked at Miroku’s words, Sango almost scathingly glaring at him. “Shuri did, he passed through to get here. So why couldn’t he pass through-”  
“-No.” Inuyasha interrupted. “He’s not going back there.”  
“Inuyasha, Miroku didn’t mean-”  
“-No! You don’t understand what it’s like there. You, you haven’t been there, seen it! Every day of his life they’ve tormented him for being different. Only when you’re as different as him and me are over there, they can… They tried to take him away from Kagome countless times, the Gods only know what they would’ve done to him if they ever… He can’t go back there, _ever_.” Inuyasha finished flatly.  
  
“Inuyasha, no one is suggesting Shuri go back there. And even if they were-” Sango glared at this to Miroku slightly, before continuing, “-we wouldn’t expect you to let him do such a thing.” Inuyasha seemed to be a little calmed by this fact, as his muscles relaxed back, as he leant against the wall. “But besides the Sacred Jewel part of this matter, what are we going to do about the demons?” she asked. Inuyasha looked to her.  
“The demons? We’ll just have to deal as we always have. We’ll have to-” He cut off suddenly. Whether the fog had cleared slightly, or there was just that much of it, Inuyasha smelled it clearly, and by the look of Kouga’s face, he had too, even Kilala had awoken from her deep slumber.  
  
Inuyasha rushed out the door, muttering a hurried “stay here and protect Shuri, and Kouga, to the monk and the demon slayer. His golden eyes looked around, a mere light mist hanging in the air, but still enough to obscure his sight. He dashed forwards, leaping through the trees. The smell was getting stronger now. Blood, Sesshomaru’s blood - and lots of it! Though he didn’t particularly care if his brother was injured, he had a debt to repay to him, (the demon had inadvertently saved Shuri after all), and he wasn’t going to be laboured with any guilt for that bastard. The half-demon dropped to the ground, finding himself in the midst of a blood-bath, demons attacking from all angles, as Kouga had said, but this time, they were launching their feral, foul scented bodies towards Sesshomaru, who for some reason, wasn’t allowing his full power to arise. Who for some reason, wasn’t even transforming, which both Inuyasha and he knew would get rid of these mere insects in an instant.  
  
Inuyasha flexed his claws menacingly. “Need a hand _Big brother_?” he asked. Sesshomaru smirked.  
“I think not, but, I suppose it is in your interest that you do, _Little Brother_.” Inuyasha ignored that statement. Whether the demon wanted it or not, he had his help. Several demons snarled and yelped in agony as Inuyasha’s claws tore into them, ripping them away from Sesshomaru, allowing the demon to find his feet. Though he’d never have admitted it, he had been overwhelmed a moment before. Inuyasha couldn’t figure that out, however; these insignificant demons, even in their large numbers shouldn’t have posed such a problem for Sesshomaru. He noted the blood dripping from several places on his brother’s body. They shouldn’t have been able to lay a hand on him. Something was wrong. Sesshomaru was holding back for some reason, restraining his movements. _What is he up to?_ Inuyasha wondered, as he unsheathed the Tetsusaiga, recommencing his attack.  
  
Strangely he felt adrenaline pumping through him, fighting alongside his brother as opposed to against him. They only fought together the odd handful of times, and though he hated to admit it, he felt a sense of _safety_ , fighting alongside him; which was questionable, since Sesshomaru wouldn’t bat an eyelid about him getting injured, still, it was a good but odd feeling, to feel safe in battle.  
  
Hard, laboured breathing filled the clearing, as the few remaining demons, having watched their accomplices fall at the two dog-demon brother’s hands, fled into the forest. Inuyasha shoved his father’s sword roughly into its sheath at his waist, and approached his brother. “What the hell is wrong with you moron?” yelled Inuyasha at the strangely indifferent demon.  
“I don’t quite understand your question little brother.” Inuyasha growled in annoyance. Sesshomaru was pretending to be ignorant, and he didn’t like it, especially since he knew very well there was seldom something Sesshomaru didn’t know _something_ about - hate that fact thought he did.  
“You were holding back, I know you were. Those idiots weren’t even a match for you, and you know it. So why didn’t you just swat them away like you should’ve done?” Sesshomaru didn’t answer. “Heck, why’d they even attack you? Low level demons like that wouldn’t dare chance a battle with you. Even the totally brain-dead ones know better.” Sesshomaru smirked once more, causing Inuyasha to sneer.  
“Why thank you, for the indirect complement Little Brother. And in answer to that, perhaps they _chanced_ it for their desperate want of something I have.” Inuyasha raised an eyebrow in confusion.  
“And what _do_ you have?” questioned the half-demon.  
  
Inuyasha instinctively raised his guard as Sesshomaru moved slowly towards him; the fur draped over his shoulder, oddly, being supported by his remaining arm. _What’s up with him? Is it too heavy for him all of a sudden? I bet he’s got some foreign demon-illness that makes him really weak. And his shoulder can’t bear the weight of that damn fluffy thing,_ he thought, feeling slightly smug that his _so-called_ ‘superior’ brother might become as weak as the demon always said Inuyasha was. He then saw that there was blood on his shoulder, _his shoulder is wounded, that must be why he has to support the damn thing more than usual. Feh,_ _serves the bastard right,_ he thought as Sesshomaru stopped in front of him.  
“I have something for you, _Little Brother_. It appears that son of your left it behind; the demons were brawling for it when I smelt its scent. Inuyasha’s eyes widened. _He’s found the Shikon Jewel? Shuri must have dropped it. Wait, he’s just gonna give it to me? What the hell is wrong with this guy, first he saves Shuri and now he -  
  
_ Inuyasha felt the sudden weight of the fur as Sesshomaru pressed it, his arm still cradling towards Inuyasha, so that Inuyasha could see it, stained with blood. But at this close distance, the fog starting to recede slightly, Inuyasha could smell it wasn’t all Sesshomaru’s. He looked down, watching the white fur framing the small, limp, bloodied form. Inuyasha’s golden eyes glistened with brewing tears, as they widened in disbelief. He barely trusted what his eyes told him. “K-K-K-Kagome…?” he asked, as if expecting her to answer, though she didn’t stir. The half-demon wanted to pull her away from Sesshomaru, to hold her, to touch her hair. Five years of not even being able to smell her scent and now he could do nothing but stare at her weak, unconscious form. He could tell by the bitter cold of the air, that wouldn’t even cause him to shudder, but would definitely send a chill over any human, and in the state Kagome was in, he wasn’t sure she would survive a chill. Inuyasha broke his gaze away from her, looking up to meet his brother’s eyes, almost pleading him - something that _never_ happened. “Can you…carry her back to the camp? You’ve kept her warm, and I think that-”  
“-Very well.” Sesshomaru said blankly. As much as it pleased him to see Inuyasha hurting, and breaking before him, it was somewhat dishonourable for him to do so. After all, half-demon though he was, he _was_ still his father’s son, which meant showing _some_ form of dignity. Besides, he knew the demons were likely to return, and with such _‘precious’_ cargo, he doubted that Inuyasha would be able to fight them all off again. Not that he cared particularly about the priestess, but in some of their more recent encounters with each other, Rin seemed to have grown fond of Kagome, (and since she had been with him when he had come across her, fighting a losing battle for her life, it was Rin who had asked him to help her, and though he would never admit it, _especially_ to Inuyasha, he could deny the little human girl nothing).  
  
Inuyasha silently beckoned his older brother to follow him, grateful of the care the full-demon seemed to show whilst doing so, obviously (but oddly) cautious of causing Kagome more discomfort. It seemed a further distance from the cave on the forest floor, but despite that, they were within sight of it now. Kagome whimpered unconsciously, and Inuyasha turned upon hearing it, watching Sesshomaru look down at her.  
“In here,” said Inuyasha, darting forwards slightly and directing toward the cave. He could see the derision on Sesshomaru’s face as he walked in.  
“Such primitive surroundings, hardly worthy of even yourself, Inuyasha,” he muttered to the half-demon as he followed in quickly, so that Sango and the others wouldn’t attack. “And what primitive companions,” he added, more quietly, looking at Kouga. Inuyasha pulled the ‘door’ closed; glancing quickly around the warm dimness, checking everything was in order. Shuri still asleep on the bed, Inuyasha suddenly realised everyone else was glaring (or in Kilala’s case growling) at Sesshomaru.  
  
“Inuyasha, what-”  
“-Demons were attacking Sesshomaru, the same ones that attacked Kouga. After the Sacred Jewel,” Inuyasha explained, walking over to his brother.  
“But Sesshomaru never came near Shuri, well not really, or the Jewel, only _ever_ once. Why would they-” The monk cut off as he watched Inuyasha seemingly lean slightly to Sesshomaru. Sliding his arms round Kagome frail form, Inuyasha pulled her against his own chest. He could feel every one of his companions’ eyes widen at the sight of Kagome in his arms, but right now he didn’t care to explain, he was only worried about Kagome, and she looked like she was in trouble.  
“Thank you, Sesshomaru,” said Inuyasha, sincerely, though not really wanting it to pass his lips, “You’ve saved someone I love twice today… I can never repay you enough for that.” Sesshomaru nodded, astonishingly accepting the thanks, as Inuyasha turned, moving swiftly towards the bedding where Shuri lay. Moving aside the veil with his elbow, Inuyasha laid the girl down gently across the opposite side of the bed to Shuri. Kagome winced, letting out a strangled whimper as Inuyasha pulled back to look her over.  
  
Her blood and Sesshomaru’s stained the blue dress she was wearing, gashes in the material seeping with the crimson fluid, making it cling to her skin. Inuyasha wiped his escaping tears on his haori sleeve, leaning forwards and brushing Kagome’s bangs away from her eyes, so he could better see her. Her skin was a lot paler, and when he’d held her he knew she’d for some reason lost weight. _She’s been really sick…like Shuri said,_ he thought, reaching for some bandages and cloths to try to clean her up a bit. Inuyasha’s ears slicked back against his head as he heard an unconscious hiss of pain from her, his fingers having been tried to clean the girl’s wounds without moving her clothes, which were sticking to her due to the dried blood. The half-demon pulled her towards him slightly; he had to take those damn modern day clothes off of her. A blush suffused his face with colour as he gently pulled at the cloth, cutting into it with his claw, careful to hurt her as less as possible. Kagome turned further into his chest, still not awake, seeking some form of comfort. Inuyasha touched her hair softly, not feeling as if he deserved to do so, prying the fabric from her body. Stripping himself of his red kimono, Inuyasha placed it gently over her as he picked up what remained of her clothes, and moved over to those at the fireside.  
  
“Here,” he passed Sesshomaru the blood-stained garment. “I have to ask to you to do one more thing, as much as it kills me, but…I need you to take this, and try and scent some part of the forest with it, as far away from here as possible. At least that should give us some time, since the demons will track that instead of her. The brothers locked eyes for a moment, it looking unlikely Sesshomaru would bestow favours upon his baby brother. Inuyasha himself was among those in the cave, who were surprised when Sesshomaru took the cloth the half-demon handed to him.  
“When this is over,” replied Sesshomaru, as he turned to leave, “we will face each other once again, as foes; you understand that of course, Little brother?” Inuyasha nodded, not even watching his brother go, not having the time to, as a blood-curdling scream filled the cave.  
  
Inuyasha dashed over to Kagome’s side, the veil falling gracefully down behind him as he turned her gently to him once more, seeing her writhing as if in agony in her sleep, more than likely a result of some horrifying dreams, _and even more than likely, not the first of them…nor the last,_ thought Inuyasha. He winced at the sounds as he pulled her into a soft embrace, nuzzling against her hair gently to smell her, for the first time in five, lonely years.  
“You’re okay, Kagome,” he whispered, trying to soothe her, “nothing’s going to hurt you anymore…” Suddenly, he felt her weak fingers tighten around the hair that hung over his shoulders, as if trying to bring herself back to reality.  
“I-Inu…yasha…?” he pulled back to look at her face, watching her weak eyes flutter open just barely. What he could see of her hazel orbs glistened with tears. “I-it….this is…this is a dream…” It was a statement - she really thought he wasn’t there, that he was just some illusion. Inuyasha touched her face gently, trying to reassure her.  
“No dream could have missed you half as much as I have…” he whispered, though she didn’t smile at him as he might have wished, she didn’t seem to have even heard him. _What’s wrong with her?_ He mentally panicked.  
  
“Daddy?” Inuyasha looked up to see Shuri at the opposite end of the ‘bed’, pawing at his eyes tiredly. “Who are you talking to? What’s all the noise?” Inuyasha blinked at him, not sure how to answer him. He couldn’t very well just say: ‘Look, you’re Mother isn’t _really_ dead?’ now could he? What would a _father_ do in this situation? Inuyasha came up blank for that question; after all, he wasn’t exactly experienced in that area now was he?  
“Shuri,” he said slowly, “when you left your mother, you say you waited for her to come after you, but she never did, and so you jumped down the well, and came to me, right?” Inuyasha asked. The boy nodded uncertainly, not noticing Kagome there with Inuyasha in the way. “It took her a little longer than that, and she’s still really sick, and weak but…she’s here…”  
  
  
TBC


	9. Tears

_Tears  
_ ~Chapter Nine~  
  
  
  
  
  
“It took her a little longer than that, and she’s still really sick, and weak but…she’s here…”  
  
Shuri’s eyes seemed to glow a radiant shade of purple as he scrambled over to Inuyasha, leaning on the arm that was supporting Kagome and peering over his at mother. Inuyasha felt Shuri’s claws sink into his arm, as he tried to stop himself from crying. “M-Mummy?” he asked huskily, barely above a whisper. Inuyasha watched the boy’s ears droop when she didn’t respond.  
“Shuri?” The half-demon looked at him. “I won’t lie to you, she’s badly hurt. So…go over to Sango and ask her to help you warm up some water. Shuri nodded hesitantly, rushing over to the demon-slayer in his eagerness to help. Inuyasha made haste in cleaning the worst of the wounds whilst Shuri was out of sight of it all. He hadn’t lied when he’d said Kagome was badly hurt, but he hadn’t said to what extent. He mentally growled at the sense his inner voice was making, for he knew what it was whispering him was true; _she might not make it through this…  
  
_ He pulled the small form into his chest once more as he secured a bandage round her stomach as tight as he could without hurting her. _Gods Kagome…where did I go wrong? I lost you… Somewhere along the way the bitterness of everything I’d been fighting to keep inside, started affecting you…and now you’re back, just so I can watch you suffer, before I lose you again… What kind of world is this if it’s going to reunite us just to tear us apart again…?_ “I fucked up, I’m so sorry…Kagome…” he whispered gently into her hair. His eyes widened as he felt her fingers clench at his under haori, tugging weakly at the material. He pulled back slightly.  
“Inuyasha…?”  
“Kagome, are you-” he cut off as he realised what he was going to ask. _Idiot, of course she isn’t okay, what a ridiculous question!_ “Kagome I-”  
“-Where am I?” she asked, looking blindly around at the dimness. Pushing what he believed were his boundaries of physical contact, Inuyasha squeezed her other hand softly, his eyes starting to glaze over with tears once more.  
“You’re…in what’s been my home for five years...” Kagome blinked up at him a moment, and then that look, that look that showed him she’d regained her senses, and that with them, her world seemed to crumble around her once more.  
  
“It…it was real? It…wasn’t just some…” Inuyasha bit his lower lip slightly as she fought to find her words, “I woke up with you and I thought that…everything else had been a horrible dream…” The half-demon nervously stroked her hair away from her face. Kagome shook her head, her tears falling away from her eyes momentarily. “W-Where is Shuri?” she asked, her voice seeming stronger, but anxious. “He got here didn’t he? He didn’t-”  
“-He’s fine, he’s here.” Kagome seemed to settle for a moment, and Inuyasha laid her back against the warm furs. “Kagome...” he sighed, looking down at her. “Why didn’t you come back and tell me about Shuri?” A short silence fell, one that he remembered was once normal between them, but right now, it was deafening him. After five years of straining to remember her voice, all he wanted now was to hear it, especially with the looming possibility that after this, he may never hear it again…  
  
“I…I thought you’d torn yourself apart…” she whispered, the tears brewing once more. “Be-because you never came to get me…I thought that…you’d done something to yourself, because of what happened, as some sort of…self-punishment or…I don’t know…” Inuyasha inhaled deeply, trying to form words. It wasn’t until he realised he’d sighed quite few times in the last minute to avoid speech, that Kagome spoke up - at least as much as she could. “Inu…Inuyasha?”  
“Hmm?”  
“Shuri, did he…” she paused a moment, “…he surprised you, needless to say…” Inuyasha gave her a little smile.  
“It’s a good job he looks so much like me, or else I wouldn’t have believed it.” Kagome turned her head in the direction Shuri was, though she couldn’t manage to turn her head all the way to see him.  
“When he was born…I didn’t know whether to be happy or sad that he was so much like you…” Inuyasha cocked his head slightly, not really sure what she meant. “I was upset because I knew he’d never know you…And that night…” She broke off, and Inuyasha avoided her eyes, not being able to look at her.  
  
“I fucked up,” he muttered, mimicking his earlier words, “I’m so sorry, Kagome…”  
“Inuyasha?” The half-demon’s eyes darted back to her as he felt her small hand against his cheek. “Please I-” Inuyasha’s ears snapped back as she rolled onto her side, coughing hard, her throat retching. His eyes widened in horror as he smelt the blood trickling from her mouth. He watched her bare body tremble, pulling his kimono a bit more round her, rubbing her back gently.  
“Kagome? Kagome?” He watched her face twist and contort in agony, as the furs underneath her head stained with blood. “Kagome?!”  
“Mummy?” Inuyasha looked round, seeing Shuri standing beside the ‘bed’, holding the bowl of warm water, looking confused. As Inuyasha shifted, large purple eyes widened at the blood pouring from his mother’s mouth.  
“Shuri, no!” Inuyasha seized him round the waist, the water falling to the floor, carrying him over to the opposite side of the cave.  
  
“Let me go! What’s wrong with her?! I want to see her!” The older half-demon dropped the boy onto his feet, kneeling down to his level and holding his arm tight, trying to stop him from struggling.  
“Listen to me… I said LISTEN TO ME!!!” Shuri halted, watching him with wary eyes, obviously not fully convinced Inuyasha wouldn’t strike him. Regretting shouting at the little boy, Inuyasha squeezed his shoulder gently, trying to reassure him. “Listen,” he said gently so that only Shuri could hear, “I know I’ve not been the best father for you, but I saw some pretty horrible things in my childhood, one of them being the death of my own mother…” He looked away from Shuri slightly, before regaining his confidence in his voice, and risking speech once more. “A child shouldn’t have to see that, and I am not going to let you watch her suffer like that.”  
  
There was silence between the two for a moment, before Shuri small voice was heard.  
“Is she? Is she really hurt Daddy?” Inuyasha looked to him, still surprised to hear someone call him that.  
“Shuri I…I know I’m not the best person in the world but I…I’ll try my very best to take care of you…” Shuri’s brows knitted.  
“Why can’t Mummy take care of me?” he asked quietly, practically a whimper. Inuyasha mentally growled, not knowing how to deal with this. Subtlety never was his best point.  
“Because sometimes…good people, like your Mother, they…they need to go away for awhile…”  
“What do you mean go away?”  
“I mean…they go somewhere, where they don’t feel pain anymore, and they’re happy and…and they…”  
“Do you mean Heaven?” Inuyasha frowned in confusion.  
“Errr, I…not really it’s just a…place where the people we love watch over us, and look after us, sort of like they were still here.” Shuri frowned this time. Though Inuyasha knew this wasn’t exactly _his own_ way of belief, he didn’t think Shuri was old enough to grasp the concept of reincarnation or whatever. After all that had happened, it was most certainly proved that reincarnations occurred and were real. How else would the Shikon Jewel have been in Kagome’s body after Kikyo’s death?  
  
“Shuri, I just-” He stopped. _Shit, the Shikon Jewl!_ Shuri jumped as Inuyasha shot to his feet, darting back to Kagome’s side. “Kagome? Kagome?” he asked, panicked, tilting her face to him. If the Shikon Jewel was in their midst, all the demons currently searching the forest, forming this _hunt_ as it were, would be drawn right to them! “Kagome listen to me, where is the Shikon Jewel?” Kagome looked confused for a moment, only just this side of consciousness by the look of it. “The Shikon Jewel, Kagome, do you have it?” Kagome shook her head slowly, looking oddly at him.  
“Why?” she rasped out.  
“The demons, they’re banding together to get the Jewel, and if you’ve got it they’ll be coming for you.” Her hazel eyes widened, but Inuyasha didn’t get the chance to find out what was wrong.  
  
“Inuyasha!” Inuyasha turned, looking to the currently lame wolf-demon, who up until now, he’d quite forgotten. Looking now, Sango and Miroku were on their guard, Kilala letting out the most vicious snarl her smaller form would allow.  
“What’s wrong?”  
“The demons, they’re here, can’t you smell them?” Inuyasha sniffed lightly. He’d been so busy with Kagome and Shuri that he hadn’t noticed it, but it was definitely there, in fact it was coming straight for them - and fast!. Inuyasha snatched up the furs round Kagome, wrapping them tightly round her as he heaved her up onto his back.  
“Where are you going?” asked Sango, looking bewildered. Inuyasha said nothing. “You’re running away?” the demon slayer pursued.  
“I am _not_ running away,” Inuyasha practically growled. “The Shikon Jewel isn’t here, so they must be after Kagome. I can go faster alone, I’ll take her out, away from here; you guys get to the safety of Kaede’s village. Avoid fighting. They may be low-level demons but in a big group like this, they can do some serious damage.” He cast a quick look down to Shuri, before looking back to Sango, who he seemed to be placing in charge. “I’m trusting you to look after him.” Inuyasha said huskily, staring deep into the demon slayer’s eyes. Sango nodded slowly, knowing there was some deeper meaning behind his words. _He knows Kagome will die…he’s taking her…and he’s not coming back_ , she thought.  
  
Suddenly Inuyasha sensed their advance once more. They were within hearing distance now. They had to get moving. Darting through the entrance he heard them head off in the opposite direction to the demons - back towards Kaede’s village. But he didn’t. His grip under Kagome’s legs tightened slightly, and he charged through the trees, _towards_ the advancing demons. The wind whistled in his ears as he picked up the sound of enraged demons as he shot through their midst. _I can easily out run them, if I distract them from the others enough. They’ll follow us, then I’ll lose them…  
  
_ “I-Inuyasha…” Inuyasha felt her hands squeeze his shoulders. He looked around as he jumped from tree to tree.  
“It’s okay Kagome, I’ll find somewhere to stop, just give me a moment.”  
“N-No…Inu…yash…a…It’ s not…it’s…” Inuyasha turned his head slightly.  
“What? What is it?” She squeezed his shoulders harder, as if trying to force out words was becoming a physical challenge.  
“The Shikon Jewel…”  
“What about it?” Inuyasha asked, smelling her fear and anxiousness radiating off her. “Kagome, what is it?”  
“Shuri, he has it. It’s in his blanket.” Inuyasha’s eyes widened, and as he landed, he skidded to a halt. _The demons,_ he thought as he turned speeding back the way he came, _that’s why they aren’t following me, Shuri has the jewel, which means they’re after him!_  
  


***

Shuri winced as Sango dragged him after her by his arm. The strange scent of salt drifted through his nose. He knew that the woman was crying, but he didn’t know why. Nor why Inuyasha didn’t take him with him. Something cold dropped on his head, and he shivered as he tilted his head up, the heaven’s rumbling with thunder overhead, just before they opened, letting lose the heavy rain over the forest of InuYasha. The demons had charged full at them, not at his father and mother, who had ran straight through them. Miroku and Kouga had fallen behind, telling Sango to run, and she had, turning with tears streaming down her face, taking Shuri and Kilala with her.  
  
 _Miroku_ , Sango thought, she’d abandoned him. She couldn’t believe it. But with this very vulnerable child inside of her, if she tried to fight, and it got hurt, she’d never be able to face Miroku again. Besides which, she had promised Inuyasha to protect Shuri, she couldn’t break that promise. Suddenly, she felt a sharp yank, and Shuri’s hand was ripped from her grip. Spinning on her heel she saw Shuri scrambling to his feet.  
“Come on Shuri,” she said desperately, “they’re coming.” Looking round wildly, she saw the hut ahead of them, obviously abandoned, (more than likely one of the ‘stop-out’ accommodations for travellers). Dragging Shuri forward, she rushed through the door, scanning the room quickly. It was empty. Nowhere to hide. Stepping forward, she noted the floor creaking beneath her feet, and stopped. This building was built similarly to those of her own demon slayer village by the looks of it. Which meant…  
  
Shuri frowned as she got down on all fours, tugging at one of the floorboards, shocked when it came up easily in her hands. “Shuri, get in. It’s dark, but you’ll be safe.” The boy looked bewildered.  
“But...what about you?” She smiled forcibly.  
“I can’t...just do it, please.” Shuri hopped down into the darkness, the demon slayer replacing the floorboard, leaving only a trickle of moonlight, escaped through the cracks to break the dank, dark surrounding him. His breathing heightened. He hated the dark. This was how he’d found Inuyasha, through his terror of it, and Inuyasha’s small firelight. _It’s dark,_ he mentally whimpered, starting to quiver, thumbing his blanket carefully in a small bundle. _It’s dark…It’s dark!_ Even when he’d lived with Kagome, he always had his night-light, and when the electricity went out, he’d crawl into her bed. Tears trickled down his face. How much he wanted for Kagome or Inuyasha to be here now. In the dark, telling him it would be okay. For a child, there was no safer place than with their parents, and Shuri wasn’t an exception. He wanted to cry as he felt his amethyst eyes adjust to the dark, and he saw the damp, rotting underneath of the floorboards, and swore he heard a rat or something just as horrible scuffling around not far off.  
  
“Mummy…” he said softly, as if anticipating her to answer. “Daddy…” He felt a shiver go up his spine, as all fell quiet. Then suddenly, a scream from outside. _Was it that lady?_ He thought, burying his face into his blanket completely, his puppy ears flicked back against his head as the scream continued. His breathing sped up, his heart feeling as if it would shoot right out his chest. Suddenly, the door of the hut slammed open, and he held his breath, closing his teary eyes tight, as he heard, and felt footsteps on the floorboards overhead.  
  
All of a sudden, the creature halted directly above him, blocking the slither of light from the floorboards, plunging Shuri into complete darkness. He shivered, trying to hold his breath. Suddenly, the ‘loose’ board above his head was ripped away. In an instinctual reaction, Shuri’s head snapped up, bringing him face to face with none-other than Kagome. “M-Mummy?” he asked, as if not really believing it.  
“Shuri, are you okay?” Kagome winced as she spoke, more of that crimson fluid seeping from her re-opened wounds. Another scream sounded from outside the hut, and Kagome dropped down to Shuri’s side, muffling her own gasp of agony as she did so. As they heard loud footsteps approaching the hut. Shuri shuffled back further as Kagome reached up, pulling the board back in place, and reaching desperately for Shuri.  
  
The little boy threw himself into Kagome’s arms, nuzzling his head slightly into the comfortingly familiar scent of Inuyasha’s kimono. Kagome pulled it tighter round the both of them.  
“M-Mummy, I’m scared…” Kagome stroked his ears gently.  
“It’s okay Shuri; I won’t let anything happen to you, just keep silent now.” Shuri nodded. The door opened for a second time, though this time slamming so forcefully against the wall that it came clean off its hinges. Shuri grimaced as he felt something warm and wet drip onto his cheek. Looking up, he saw tears streaming down Kagome’s face, glistening in the diminutive light falling down on them. _Why is everyone crying?_ The little half-demon thought, recalling the very same tears rolling down Sango’s cheeks, and his own; the same tears brewing in even his father’s eyes, as he said what seemed like (even to Shuri), goodbye…  
  
  
TBC


	10. Recollections

_Recollections_

~Chapter Ten~

 

Inuyasha's eyes widened, and as he landed, he skidded to a halt. _The demons,_ he thought as he turned speeding back the way he came, _that's why they aren't following me, Shuri has the jewel, which means they're after him!_

Inuyasha felt Kagome's fingers dig into his shoulders as he practically spun on his heel, bolting back through the forest the way they had come. Shuri was the one in danger, not them, he thought as he sped across the forest floor, twice as fast as before, tightening his grip on Kagome so she didn't fall off.

"It's alright, Kagome," he assured her, the wind whistling past his puppy-ears as he took to the trees once more. "We're gonna get to him on time, I _won't_ let him die." Kagome realised it was more Inuyasha stopping his own worries than assuring her unvoiced ones. Because she didn't need assurance. She knew that if it ever came to it, Inuyasha wouldn't _ever_ let Shuri die, no matter what the cost. What she was worried about was, that the cost would be Inuyasha's own life.

_They can't die…They_ _**won't** _ _die! Both Kagome and Shuri have to live, they_ _**have** _ _to…_

"I've screwed up so much…" Kagome snapped back from her thoughts when she realised this wasn't just another incoherent spoken thought of Inuyasha's, he was speaking to her. "I was stupid…and selfish…letting myself fall so open and…defenceless…whenever I let my guard down for the people I love, they're always the one to pay the price… I'm worthless…. I should have been able to protect you and Shuri, and all I've done is let you get hurt… They're right…"

"Whose right?" asked Kagome quietly, who'd been striving to find the right words to say.

"Sesshomaru - _everybody_ …I'm just a worthless mongrel - I don't belong in either world and if I try to belong, the only ones who get hurt are the ones who try to help me… Half-breeds obviously don't deserve happiness, we're just - _I'm_ just nothing-"

"-How can you say that!" Inuyasha nearly jumped at her suddenly harsh, strong voice - the scolding voice he remembered from back then, usually followed by that damn 'sit' word…

"How can you just say that?! Just giving up because it's hard? They're _wrong_ Inuyasha, they're just narrow-minded - your life comes from the selfless love a great demon gave a strong human, _love_ Inuyasha! How can you say that's worthless?" Inuyasha sighed as he carried onwards, this wasn't the time for this conversation, but somewhere deep inside him, he didn't feel they'd have much time left (one way or the other).

"This isn't about love, Kagome..." he muttered sadly. "I hurt everyone who _ever_ had the courage to love a pariah like me, a disgusting half-demon. You don't understand! You don't know what it's like! They're right to say I should've been destroyed at birth, then _none_ of this would have happened!" He felt Kagome tense up on his back as they drew in closer to Shuri's scent, and push herself off his back. Inuyasha spun on his heel to look at her in confusion, only to receive a full-handed smack across his cheek.

"How can you say that?!" Inuyasha frowned slightly, why was she getting so angry? "You'd just wish yourself dead like that, after your father and mother threw their lives away so that you might live - you value their love for you that little?"

"Kagome, I-"

"-No! You can't just pass it off like that! Don't wish your life away so hastily! Many good people are dying around us everyday, but you're alive and you just… You'd undo _everything_? You'd undo all the good we've done, all the moments we've shared with each other…" Inuyasha watched tears well up in her eyes. "The baby we had together…?"

"Kagome, I just-"

"-Because he's a half-demon too! You're saying how disgusting you are, how undesirable - how you should've been killed at birth? Don't you see that by doing that you're pinning this on him too? He's just a little boy and all he's heard is how disgusting he is, how _freakish_ and undeserving of life! How is that fair?! I love you more than _anything_ on this earth and I love our son just as much - So don't you _dare_ tell me I don't understand what it's like to be labelled _different_ … For five years I've had to watch my little boy be estranged from everybody, be miserable, unable to breath - to _live_ freely. From the moment he was born he was different, and so it condemned him to misery… Do _you_ know what it's like to have to dry his tears, and tell him it'll all be okay, when in reality you know it will never be?"

Inuyasha bit his lip, turning his eyes from hers so that she couldn't see his own tears. _It's just like before,_ he thought, _my mother's tears…she knew what my life would be like…now Kagome's cried the same tears, and I wasn't even there for her, just like my father was never there for my mother…_

"Don't make a half-demon's life sound so worthless… I spent five lonely years fighting to keep our boy alive, those men they… Every night I saw those men's faces, ripping Shuri from my arms and I…the same nightmare, and I could never protect him…"

"Kagome, please-"

"-They wanted to take him away! They saw how _different_ he was, no matter how hard I tried to hide it from them, and when they found out they wanted to take him away, make him into some _Lab-rat_! Stick him with wires and tubes and - God knows what else!" Inuyasha frowned, only just understanding what she was implying.

"Are those the men Shuri told me about? The ones that tried to take him away?" Kagome nodded.

"When I had Shuri, I…I intended to home birth him, so the doctors never knew but…there were complications and we would have both died, so my mother took me to the hospital and…that's where it started…" Inuyasha cocked his head slightly, looking (and feeling) furious.

"What started?" Kagome gave him a disbelieving look.

"A world where demons don't exist and aren't heard of, and your son is born in a public hospital with a full head of silver hair, puppy ears, purple eyes and claws - you guess what started." Inuyasha felt stupid now. "They thought he had some sort of disease, some new illness, but when they found his heartbeat and breathing perfect they had no choice but to let me take him home… But that's where it began to get worse… From that moment on I was constantly harassed and sometimes attacked by people who wanted to steal Shuri away for their own reasons - _scientific research_ I suppose they'd call it. I tried to get the police to help but they turned a blind eye to it all…" Inuyasha felt that miserable expression of hers tugging at his heart strings. _And from all this I could have protected her…I_ _ **should**_ _have protected her_.

"I suppose Shuri told you about what happened at the school?" Inuyasha nodded. "When we went into hiding, to protect both ourselves, and my family from taking the blame, we were safe for a while, but after all the stress and _everything_ else of the previous five years, I fell sick and…"

"And what?"

"And Shuri was worried, and…even though I told him not to leave the apartment, he knocked on next door to ask if they had medicine, and of course-"

"-They blabbed and told these guys where you were?" Kagome nodded slowly.

"I couldn't run, I just…I honestly thought I was going to die in that room…So when they started to break down the door I told Shuri to go to the well, and find you…"

"But…how did you get away? And why did it take you so long to get here?" Kagome swallowed, so much speaking seeming to be taking its toll on her exhausted, wounded body.

"I can't explain it…I'm not sure myself but I just… Trying to escape I collapsed in some alleyway, ready to die…until I saw your face…" Not for the first time that evening, Inuyasha looked confused.

"I…I saw your face and I just…I remembered what happened between us and I…I couldn't just leave it like that, I had to see you, if only one more time, to tell you how much I loved you…to make sure Shuri got to you…" Inuyasha seized her arms making her flinch slightly, for the moment the half-demon ignored it, pulling her into a crushing embrace.

"I love you…" growled Inuyasha, "and I'm so sorry for what happened, that night, I hurt you, and I shouldn't have sent you away like a coward, I just-"

"-Inuyasha?"

"What?"

"I can feel it."

"Feel what?"

"The Sacred Jewel…it's nearby, which means-"

"-Shuri!"

Dragging the girl up into his arms he sped through the increased density of trees, skidding to a halt so suddenly that Inuyasha felt the burn of it on his bare feet. But he didn't flinch, he didn't care, not after seeing what he was seeing right now…

A piercing scream tore at Sango's throat as demon talons ripped into her flesh time and time again. The hirakoitsu fell uselessly to the ground as her arm (blood seeping through the amour around it) was twisted in what seemed an impossible position.

"Sango!" screamed Kagome, pulling herself from Inuyasha's grip and running towards her. Inuyasha cursed as the demons turned on her, and he leapt forwards, snatching her round the waist and dragging her out of harms way. Running to the demon slayer's side, Kagome tried to steady her on her feet, but Sango pushed her away gently, her throat making a sickening heaving noise, as if she was trying to say something. "Sango? Sango, what is it?"

"S-Shuri…"

"Shuri?" asked Inuyasha desperately, "what about Shuri?"

"He's in the house," she forced, almost too quiet to hear, gesturing to the hut behind them slightly. "Under the floor, he's hiding." The woman squeezed Kagome's shoulder gently, looking deeply into her friend's eyes, and saying what Kagome knew they could find no words for. Kagome covered the hand with her own, squeezing it softly back, turning to look at Inuyasha at the same time.

The half-demon dropped to his knees, touching a kiss to her cheek, whispering gently in her ear.

"Whatever happens…" he growled for her hearing only, "I'll love you with my last breath, and then some." Kagome felt tears pouring down her cheeks, as she released Sango's hand to throw her arms round Inuyasha's neck, pulling into a tight embrace, their lips crushing against each other. They broke apart, delaying the moment as long as possible, for they all but knew that these short moments were all that they had left. Inuyasha smiled at her, crystal tears brewing in his eyes at the sight of hers trailing down her cheeks, stroking them away softly with the calloused pad of his thumb. "Take care of my boy for me," Inuyasha said softly, and Kagome nodded, her eyes searching his for one more moment, as if scanning the image permanently into her memory, not wanting to forget one hair on his head, _ever_. It felt like a lifetime they shared just staring at each other then, as if time had stopped.

Suddenly the moment ended, and Kagome bolted towards the hut, Inuyasha, Sango and Kilala fighting the demons off her back. Kagome winced at the screams of her friends, falling clumsily up the porch, her wounds reopened and bleeding once more as she wearily seized the door of the hut, flinging it open with desperation. The door ricocheted of the door, closing back again behind her as she steadied her breathing, she sensed the jewel. Her steps, so clumsy and heavy from pain and exhaustion fell on the hard wooden floor, as she made towards where she sensed the jewel. Leaning down she felt it strongly beneath her very feet, and she traced her fingertips over the board underfoot. She heard a sharp intake of breath, as she ripped away the 'loose' board. Shuri's head snapped up to meet her eyes.

"Mummy?"

"Shuri, are you okay?" Kagome winced, her wounds seeping blood at so much movement, far too quickly. _This isn't good,_ she thought, _I'm losing too much blood…_

Suddenly, in reaction to another agony-filled cry from outside, Kagome threw herself down at Shuri's side, biting back her own gasp of pain as she pulled the floorboard back into place. Loud footsteps echoed across the floor overhead, Shuri wrapped tightly in his mother's desperate embrace, hiding his face against Inuyasha's kimono. Kagome stroked his ears gently; assuring, soothing and shushing him softly as he whispered his fears. Kagome didn't have to be a demon to sense Shuri's confusion and fear, not being able to stop her tears from falling free of her eyes. _Why is everyone crying?_ Shuri thought, tightening his grip of his father's kimono. _Please don't cry anymore, Mummy…_

Shuri looked down at his mothers fingers as he felt them weaving between the folds of his blanket, enclosing tightly around the Sacred Jewel. _It's all because of this stupid thing,_ she growled mentally, _it causes nothing but misery…it killed people like Sango's family, and tore people apart like Inuyasha and Kikyo,_ (not that she wasn't secretly thankful for that), _and it created cruel tyrants like Naraku. This - this_ _ **damned**_ _thing should never have been created!_ Her mental scream caused her to tremble slightly, as the footsteps overhead drew closer. _The stupid Jewel and all the selfish demons that crave for it so much they'd kill innocent people should just disappear from this world forever!_

Suddenly, the jewel under Kagome's fingertips pulsed with an eerie light, the usually pale pinkish tone of it spoiled with an angry shade of purple, slowly fading to black. Kagome's eyes widened at the iridescent glow. _The Jewel, it's being tainted by my emotions!_ She tried to take it back, to stop it all, but it was too late, the demons had already sensed the evil aura in the air. The creature overhead, that was causing the floor to creak menacingly, suddenly let out a terrifying snarl, making Shuri's head press more urgently into Kagome, as if trying to hide himself under the folds of Inuyasha's kimono.

All of a sudden, rapid swipes of the demon's claws tore through the floorboards over their heads, ripping them clean off. Kagome tightened her grip on Shuri, wincing as the demon screeched again in its desperation to get to the jewel. Fear - of being caught. Anger - at herself for allowing her own mortal emotions to put Shuri in danger. Hatred - of the demons and humans alike who will stop at nothing to get the jewel for their own selfish desires, not caring who they tear down in the process. _And sadness_ , she thought, _because Inuyasha, and Sango, and…_ _ **everybody**_ _are dead…_ All negative emotions coming off her in waves, tainting the jewel, driving the demons' mad with want of it.

A scream broke from Shuri's throat as the demon's talons snagged Kagome's arm, that was shielding him from the attack. Kagome winced, pushing Shuri away from her as the creature ripped her up through the remaining floorboards, its gnarled finger-like claws pressing fatally against her wind-pipe.

"Give me the Sacred Jewel," it growled, foul smelling breath steaming over her face. Kagome stared it down defiantly, hell if she was going to allow some demon scum to get the sacred jewel and hurt more innocent people, and more importantly, Shuri.

"I hope you choke on me you son-of-a-bitch!" she spat out, literally, with what remaining breath was left in her lungs. If she'd had enough oxygen she'd have screamed at the unbearable agony in her lungs and throat as the claws dug into her neck, breaking the skin. _Inuyasha,_ she thought as she felt her vision go hazy, _I'm so sorry, I couldn't protect Shuri…_ _ **I'm**_ _the one who should have apologized to you…_

"STOP IT YOU BASTARD!" Kagome's eyes snapped open at the voice, and both she and the demon looked to where it had come from. Crystallised tears fell from glistening eyes as his breathing came out in harsh pants. "S-Shuri?" Kagome managed out, torn between being shocked at his language, and shocked at his sudden bravery, which he'd never shown before in his life.

"L-Let my Mummy DOWN!" Shuri shouted, making himself very like Inuyasha in the process. Kagome tried to scream her protest as Shuri darted forwards, but couldn't manage it out. The demon let out a piercing howl as Shuri snagged hold of its scaly leg, sinking his razor claws (half-demon trait, courtesy of Inuyasha) into the flesh.

Kagome winced as the demon released her and she hit the floor. Gagging and spluttering as she struggled to regain her breath, she edged away from the demon, staring at Shuri in astonishment. The little half-demon raked his claws down through the leg, making the demon cry out once more.

"M-My Daddy showed me…how to be strong…and not let other people push me around just because I'm different…b-because-" Shuri was cut off as the demon backhanded him across his face, making him cry out in agony, but not releasing his painful hold on the demon's limb. "-Because my Daddy and me are both half-demons, and that means that I'm not going to cry anymore…I'm going to be strong like him!"

Kagome screamed as the demon went for Shuri once more, just as Shuri sank his Inuyasha-like fangs into the oncoming hand.

"You mongrel!" The creature screamed, "If we're going to play like that, you won't be the only one doing the biting and scratching!" Shuri whined out in pain as the demon smacked him once more, this time his claws catching his soft cheek and leaving five long gashes across the pale flesh.

"NO!" Kagome cried, leaping forwards and striking the demon across the face as hard as she could, though in her current state, it had caused more damage to her hand than the demon.

"What a freakish child," the demon growled, "who the hell is that thing?" Kagome wiped the blood from her mouth, glaring up at him.

"He's my son." The demon turned, crimson eyes widening in some indistinguishable emotion at the bloodied figure standing in the doorway.

Inuyasha seemed totally oblivious to the blood that seemed to be oozing from every pore on his flesh, his silver hair stained crimson as he stepped into the hut. "He's my son," Inuyasha repeated, "so naturally he's gonna pay you for trying to rip me to shreds." The demon seemed to be backing away as Inuyasha stepped towards it, flexing his claws with his next words. "And naturally, I'm gonna rip _you_ to shreds for hurting him, and _my_ woman." The whites of Inuyasha's eyes were flickering back and forth to read as he growled out his speech, making the demon look very nervous. Kagome failed to notice, merely blushing stupidly, feeling like the silly high school girl she was back when she'd first met Inuyasha. She hadn't felt so elevated in the last five years. The elevated feeling dropped as Inuyasha snarled, tackling the demon to the ground and ripping into it. Kagome didn't have to be a demon to sense the pure fury radiating off of him. With a final, sickeningly sounding blow, Inuyasha snapped the demon's neck, staggering to his feet, only to slump to the ground next to where Kagome lay, wincing as he held his mangled right arm.

Kagome watched nervously as she saw Inuyasha's pale face glow through the blood, as he flashed her that mischievous smile she'd once known so very well. Inuyasha stroked the rogue, blood-stained hair from Kagome's face with a clawed finger, rousing a similar smile from her. "Are you okay?" he asked her with a broken husky voice, rough from shouting and growling. Kagome nodded weakly, unable to speak for the moment, but gesturing over to the crumpled form in the corner, and Inuyasha understood what she meant. "Oh, god, Shuri!" he gasped as he shot to his feet, with speed that should have been impossible to someone so wounded.

Inuyasha dropped down to the floor, hesitantly reaching forwards, so very like the time when he'd gone to touch Shuri's ears, the night they'd first met, but this time, he was hesitant for a different reason - this time he didn't want to hurt him further, and also, a part of him didn't want to see just how much Shuri was hurt. _I'm afraid to see him in pain,_ Inuyasha thought, _I guess that's to be expected…_ The older half-demon turned the pale, bleeding cheek towards him, eyes watering as he noted Shuri's eyes shut in unconsciousness. "Shuri?" Inuyasha asked quietly. "Come on… Come on kid, please wake up…" The older half-demon's heart ached with a weight as if someone had punched him full-force in the chest when the boy didn't respond. "I've never begged for anything in my life kid," Inuyasha practically growled, "but please, _please_ …you're the only thing I've ever managed to do in this world that ever turned out good…you're…" Inuyasha felt his inside clench at the words he was about to say - he was embarrassed at his words, but strangely, he didn't care. _Is this what it feels like…to be a father?_ He thought, not for the first, nor the last time. "You're the most _precious_ thing to me, so - don't leave me…not like everybody else does…"

Kagome struggled to her feet, slowly making her way over to Inuyasha and Shuri, stopping beside them just as she watched Inuyasha pull the small, limp form against his warm chest, wrapping the kimono Shuri seemed to be clinging so desperately to tighter round his body.

"Inuyasha," gasped Kagome, "he's - he's not-" Suddenly she was cut off by a harsh spluttering and gasps for air. Inuyasha and Kagome's eyes darted down to the little boy, claws clasping unthinkingly to Inuyasha's chest. "Shuri? Shuri?!" Shuri turned to the desperate voice of his mother, blurred, unseeing eyes looking for the source of the voice.

"M-Mummy?" Kagome darted forwards, quite forgetting her injuries, pulling Shuri against her own chest.

"Oh, My god, Shuri-" she broke off to kiss his forehead lightly, "you stupid, _stupid_ boy, don't you ever scare me like that _ever_ again," Kagome cried, her hysterical tears falling onto his silver hair. Inuyasha merely watched the two, unsure for what to say or do; after all, even though Shuri was his too, Shuri was first and foremost Kagome's son wasn't he? She'd raised him and given birth to him when he hadn't even been there hadn't she? He felt slightly saddened at his thoughts. _Exactly where do I fit here?_ He wondered.

He broke from his thoughts as he watched Kagome steady Shuri on his feet gently. "But you were very brave, Shuri," Kagome said softly, stroking his ears lovingly, "I can't tell you how very proud of you I am." Shuri smiled in spite of the pain, which was strangely getting less and less very quickly. "I love you, little one, don't let _anyone_ ever make you feel less than you are, because you're strong, and handsome, and brave-" Shuri blushed a little at her words, following Kagome's eyes as they wandered over to Inuyasha, the younger half-demon only just noticing the same proud look in his father's eyes. "-just like your Father," Kagome finished quietly, and then it was Inuyasha's turn to blush.

Inuyasha, in an attempt to not let this embarrassment get to him, got to his feet, steadying himself.

"What do you say we head back, we're not out of the woods yet after all, Sango, Miroku, Kilala and Sesshomaru need some seeing to by Kaede-"

"-Sesshomaru?!" Kagome asked him in pure shock as Inuyasha helped Kagome get to her feet, watching her pick Shuri up into her arms.

"Yeah, Sesshomaru," he said, seeming to be partially annoyed, partially disbelieving of it himself. "He…he turned up last minute…he saved us." Kagome looked at him, as if not believing his words. "What're you looking at me like that for _wench_?" Inuyasha asked, trying to lighten the mood a little, considering what state Kagome was about to find Sango and Miroku in. Kagome shook her head lightly, as they stepped slowly out of the door of the hut.

"Oh, and Shuri?" The younger half-demon looked up to his mother with drowsy eyes. "Please tell me it wasn't your father who taught you that word." Shuri blinked in confusion a moment, and Inuyasha's ears pricked in slight fear.

"What word?"

"That _bad_ word you said to the demon." Shuri looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Oh, _that_ word - Daddy said it was a bad word, and not to say it, but that man was a bad man, so that's okay, isn't it?" Kagome shot Inuyasha a venomous look, before looking back to a weary Shuri.

"It's not really okay, but don't worry, I'm not upset, just don't say it again, okay?" Shuri nodded exhaustedly, closing his eyes as he rested his head in the crook of Kagome's neck.

Inuyasha smiled at the little boy as he drifted into a light doze.

"Poor kid, he's exhausted." Kagome sighed.

"Yeah, I know how he feels." Inuyasha avoided her eyes, not sure where he stood with her, or even where he stood with Shuri anymore, _what place do I have with them anymore? I'm not Kagome's mate or_ _ **anything**_ _like that, and after what happened before I can't ask her to stay with me, so we can't stay together, and I can't take Shuri away from her either…What's going to happen after they both get better?_ "Inuyasha?" Inuyasha's ears pricked as he looked to her in bewilderment, wary of the tone in her voice.

"Y-yeah?"

"Sit boy!" With a familiar glowing light (which Inuyasha never thought he'd miss in a million years, but strangely he had) the half-demon was pulled face first into the dirt. "That's for teaching our boy curse words, you idiot." Inuyasha prised his face from the ground, awaiting the spell to give way, and allow him to move, watching Kagome slowly walk towards the beaten, worn monk and the fatally wounded demon slayer in his arms. _That_ _ **damn**_ _Kagome,_ he thought, before he pondered the 'sit' he'd just received. _It's just like old times,_ he smirked, getting quickly to his feet and following after Kagome. His light mood quickly evaporated as they stopped beside Miroku, the monk's face strewn with tears.

"Miroku, what's-"

"-There's something wrong…" Miroku whispered, looking down to Sango's unusually pale face. "There's…something wrong with her…" Inuyasha frowned down at them.

"She's…she's not…" He could smell Kagome's tears again, and without even looking at her, or her speaking, he knew what she thought, because he thought it too. "She's not…dead…?"

TBC


	11. Ensnared

_Ensnared_

~Chapter Eleven~

 

Inuyasha had his eyes closed tight against the rest of the world, his head resting against the tree he was perched on. _Where did everything go so wrong?_ He thought trying to pretend that his half-demon enhanced hearing couldn't catch Kagome's sobs, and Kaede's diagnosis, and even, Miroku's silence. Shuri was unconscious still, hadn't woken up since they'd arrived, which was plaguing his mind. Kaede had hurriedly brushed a anxious Inuyasha off and stated that Shuri had taken a nasty blow to the head when the demon had attacked, meaning maybe he had a concussion, maybe worse, and adding to that he had lost a lot of blood, but she could do no more for him. Inuyasha mentally growled on the recollection of her calmness. But his anger hadn't surfaced, when he realised just how bad of a state Sango was in.

Miroku's silence plagued the half-demon, for he knew exactly what he _wasn't_ saying. Even if Sango _could_ make it out of it, there was no sure guarantee that the baby inside of her would, or if it was even still alive after everything that had happened. _And the chances for Sango are bad enough as it is,_ he thought, _without knowing she's lost her kid, and probably all possibility to have another one…_ the half-demon wasn't sure of human's outlook on things, but he knew being an infertile _demon_ meant you weren't worth _anything_ , much less the air they breathed. Though he was sure Miroku wouldn't hold it against her, (despite his lecherous ways and constant teasing about ' _carrying on the family name')_ he was sure Sango _would_. Inuyasha, in his tragic youth of never being accepted, always being outcast, had constantly run into demons with that very problem. The half-demon knew enough from watching at the sidelines, from observing how cruel life was to others, not just himself, that others like Sango had not been so _lucky_ , in the way that they didn't have a partner in their life that would love them regardless. But he also knew from observing his once friend's lives and love-lives at work for the last five years, from the concealment of his forest, that Sango wouldn't forgive herself, even if Miroku did. _Women are so damn confusing, it makes me glad I ain't one,_ he proposed to himself, trying to lighten his mood, though it failed miserably.

A small ping of realisation hit his heart at the thought of the demon slayer and the monk. _Any demon or human alike would kill for what those two have, for what I_ _ **used**_ _to have…_ His mind, not for the first, nor the last time, jested about what it might've been like to see Shuri when he was small, _well, smaller,_ he added mentally. What might it have been like to hold him when he was a baby, to watch him grow up, learn to talk, and walk…even to see what Kagome would've looked like with her pregnant stomach.

 _I've missed so much,_ he thought miserably, ears drooping slightly. _I was so wrapped up in my own stupidity and self-pity, I threw away all those precious moments that we fought to have together…_ Wasn't that the very reason they'd all fought Naraku so hard? Faced with the promise of a peaceful _Happy ever after_ , together? Miroku, with Sango and their child, a rejuvenated Kohaku playing with Shippo in the background while Kagome and Inuyasha had their long-awaited lover's conciliation… _that_ was the promise that had awaited them in the distance back in those days, way back before they'd even acknowledged it aloud. Inuyasha watching his little _pack_ from the darkness of the trees as they lay by the fireside, talking of whatever challenges were ahead of them.

They'd taken down every evil they'd ever faced and they'd done it together, all in hopes of finally being together, _happy_ in the end. _I guess there's no place left for 'happy ever after' in the world any more…_ Tales that he remembered his human mother reading him all those ages ago; stories of worlds and eras where love transcended everything and heroes always got their happy ending. Inuyasha, in his naïve youth and believed that one day, maybe he'd earn such an ending, even in his travels hunting for jewel shards, he'd mused to himself that after all the fighting they'd done to save the world form Naraku and god knows what else, they deserved their slice of happiness and peace at the end. Sitting as he was now, he finally realised what a fool he'd been. _This world's too cruel a place to have such things…it's not worth fighting for, it's only for the few people who I owe it to, for saving me in every possible way, that I fight…For Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kilala…Kagome…Shuri…_ _ **No one**_ _else…_

He was torn from his thought as he heard a low cough from somewhere below him. Inclining his head slightly, he saw Sesshomaru standing below, leaning slightly against the tree. "A pitiable mate you would have been if she'd ever had the chance to accept…" A velvety dog-ear twitched at the all-but-silent statement.

"And what's _that_ supposed to mean, _Brother_?" Inuyasha growled, not in the mood for Sesshomaru's riddles that he called _'advice'_. He sensed a small smirk twitch at Sesshomaru's pale lips.

"It means that your human is in there despairing, and your whelp in their dying, and you are helpless as always. You're not much use to them after all, are you?" The claws on Inuyasha's toes dug into the tree bark in anger, trying to refrain from ripping out Sesshomaru's offensive tongue.

"What _can_ I do? I can't heal the sick or…or… _anything_ that could help Shuri now…"

"You realise the demons are regrouping, do you not, Little brother?" Inuyasha frowned slightly, his nose twitching slightly as he tried to inhale any demonic scents.

"What do you-?"

"-I simply scared them off from finishing the demon slayer and the monk, they're approaching from the northern side of your forest… There isn't much time…"

"I _know_ that, but what can we do? We can't fight, this small village doesn't exactly bear strong warriors – it's a poor farming village, and besides, with Sango and her baby…Kagome's wounds and Shuri's _'head trauma' – Whatever_ that is, we can't go fleeing across all of feudal Japan now can we?" He didn't have to be able to see Sesshomaru to _know_ that usual sneer would be on his face.

" _This_ Sesshomaru has _never_ fled from _anything_ in his life, and he will not start now." Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"You soon ran away from father when he asked you to come with him to protect me and my mother the night I was born…" Inuyasha growled, knowing he'd struck a nerve at the anger held in Sesshomaru's usually calm demeanour.

"I repeat myself, _half-breed_ , I have _never_ run from _anything_ – _ever_."

"Good for you _My Lord_ but guess what?" Inuyasha leapt down, landing square on his feet in front of Sesshomaru, "I couldn't care less about you right now! All I care about are my friends and my family, got that? 'Cause they're gonna live, if I have to kill every fucking demon in this _twisted_ time so be it, but they're gonna get through this!" Again, a smirk crossed Sesshomaru's features. "What the _hell_ are you smiling at?" The half-demon snarled.

"As usual, Little brother, you're totally oblivious as to what matters you should be turning your small half-breed mind to." It was Inuyasha's turn to sneer this time.

"Yeah, and what's that?"

"The fact that the completed power of the Shikon no Tama is in the grasp of a very powerful being, who, in the midst of all this despair, may unconsciously make a selfish, _tainted_ wish…" Inuyasha's eyes widened.

"Ka-Kagome has the Sacred Jewel?"

"Inuyasha." The half-demon inclined his head a little more at Sesshomaru's tone, so laden with emotion as opposed to devoid of it.

"Sesshomaru? What is it?" He couldn't help the worry leak into his voice.

"Whether we cannot or will not flee, remaining here results in us undoubtedly perishing under this attack." Inuyasha watched his older brother carefully, waiting for his continuation. "They've regrouped, and their combined power is as great as their numbers…all of them heading to this village…I will fight alongside you in this battle, Little brother, even though it may be our last." Golden eyes widened at the full-demon.

"But I – why?"

"I never meant to… I will not exaggerate this by screening excess emotion…and I have _never_ said this before, however I…I was wrong." Inuyasha's ears perked slightly at the broken words.

"Huh?"

"That night, when father asked me to help him rescue yourself and Izayoi from that foolish human Takemaru of Setsuna, I was an imprudent, _jealous_ adolescent, only worried for my Father's love so unwaveringly focused on you and your mother, instead of myself and the memory of my own, deceased mother… I had hoped to right my wrong, in saying _I had nothing to protect_ … Father showered you with more affection before you were even born than I ever had in my prior 500 years of life. This was wrong of him, but that night he tried to right that, and I refused him, _and_ you, and I never had a chance afterwards to apologise to him, or try to fix what I'd done… Every ounce of self-hatred and loathing I threw into my resentment of you, trying to make myself believe it was all your fault but… In truth, it was all mine…"

A long silence fell between the brothers, until the suddenly humbled demon lord found his voice. "And here we are, 200 years later, and I've only just managed to say it, and I know it means nothing after how I additionally disobeyed my duty to you as your blood brother, and let you roam free, endangered and vulnerable after Izayoi died, instead of taking you into our father's house… But I…" the demon bit his lower lip in the first sign of nervousness or difficulty he'd shown in the last 200 odd years. "I apologise…Inuyasha," the said half-demon watched in shock as his brother lowered himself to his knees, deliberately avoiding his little brother's eyes. "I ask for your forgiveness."

It was, surreal. The high and mighty Demon lord Sesshomaru, son of the Great demon Inu no Taishou, on his knees, asking for forgiveness for a sin like some child awaiting punishment from his parent. It gnawed at Inuyasha's heart, to see his prideful sibling on his knees. In the lack of a father, Sesshomaru had been the one he'd secretly strived to surpass and now he looked at the state he was in, he hated it.

"Get up, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha stated as blankly as his voice allowed, trying to hide his childish joy at having his brother's acceptance. The demon got to his feet, meeting his brother's eyes at last. "You never needed my forgiveness, because I never hated you, not the way you hated me for all these years…" Inuyasha paused, how could he say what he wanted to say? _I envied your power, and your position, and how you were so readily accepted and feared by the people who just pushed me aside… I envied you having 500 years with father, whereas I had nothing…and even though everyone says I'm more like him than you…and he favoured me above you, it doesn't make up for the fact I never got to have what you had with him…_ It sounded childish and simpering even in his head, though, by the look in Sesshomaru's eyes, he guessed that, _somehow_ , he knew what he wanted to say. There was no need for words.

"There are so many things I wish I could ask you, so many things I wanna say, but…it looks as if I'll never get to…" Inuyasha broke off. Right when things were going to end, why? They'd wasted 200 years for nothing and now they'd never have the chance to try and right things as they should.

"I am sorry for that, Little brother, but I couldn't have it…have _us_ go down in battle without righting a wrong that plagued me… _both_ of us for so long…besides…" Inuyasha looked up to Sesshomaru in utmost astonishment as he felt a clawed hand squeeze his shoulder firmly. "If this were left unsolved, I believe father would, as _you_ might say, _'have our asses'_ when we get to the other side." Inuyasha smirked at the uncharacteristic statement from his brother.

"Inuyasha?" His silver haired head turned towards the voice, meeting the sight of Kagome walking towards him from Kaede's hut. Sesshomaru released his hold on Inuyasha.

"I will be nearby, prepare yourself, Little brother." Inuyasha nodded, watching Sesshomaru disappear into the seclusion of the trees; _more than likely going to fetch Rin and send her somewhere safe,_ Inuyasha thought.

Kagome stopped beside Inuyasha, skittishly touching his fire-rat kimono sleeve gently, wrapping trembling fingers around the fabric. The half-demon met her eyes, his heart falling as he noted her ailing appearance. She was Kagome, so no matter how worn or bloodied she was, to him, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, but the gaunt look to her once so lively face made him…well _worried_ would be a underestimation. _She hasn't got long left,_ he acknowledged, biting his lip at the salty liquid pricking at his eyes.

"Kagome?" he asked huskily, nervously touching her hand which clung to his kimono. "What…I…Are you…?" He couldn't find words, _'are you okay'_ would undermine the fact that they both knew…she _wasn't_ okay.

"Inuyasha," she said quietly, her voice seeming as if it'd fail any moment. "It's okay, you don't have to…I know I don't have much time left." Inuyasha watched her with sad eyes, his ears leaning flat against his head. As the half-demon squeezed the hand he was holding, her free hand enclosed over his. "Will you come for a walk with me, Inuyasha?" she asked, and he nodded absently, allowing her to lead him into his own forest.

It was like that much happier time so long ago, when Kagome had promised to stay with him, taking his calloused hand in her soft, delicate one, him squeezing it reassuringly. Kagome had offered him an unvoiced promise that she'd make him smile, make him laugh, make him _happy_ whether he chose her in the end or not.

That endearing promise, that precious moment was the one thing he'd clung to for five long years, keeping the memory almost as vivid as their first kiss back in Kaguya's castle. He could remember her scent, how he knew she'd been crying, could see her face, her hair blowing softly in the breeze as she stood from her seat on the edge of the well. _"We're both alike in our desire to be with you again…"_ Kagome had said that to him, had said that she wanted to be with him. How sweet and naïve they were back then, they'd thought they could overcome anything together…

Finally, the girl stopped, taking a seat in the brightly coloured flowers that covered the grassy clearing of the well, motioning for Inuyasha to sit beside her. Nervously, the half-demon did so, watching her lean back into the grass, trying to make it look as if she were relaxing in the sun's rays. However, Inuyasha could sense how much that walk had taken out of her.

"Inuyasha?" Her soft voice drifted over his ears again, rousing him from his thoughts. "Won't you lie down with me?" Sighing softly, Inuyasha spread himself out on his back by her side. He closed his eyes slowly, breathing the combined scent of Kagome and flowers in deeply, allowing the smells to take him back to a brighter place, where he and Kagome had lied like this before – gazing up at the clouds in a field of flowers.

"I missed you, Inuyasha," Kagome said, her sentences seeming so simple, compared to her once complex, often even metaphorical words, once so secretive of her fragile human feelings, the priestess now seemed to value their limited time together, she knew they didn't have long, whichever way fate allowed the victory of the battle to fall. "I used to tell Shuri about times like this, when you and I would be alone together, back then, and just talk. I miss those times…" Inuyasha said nothing. "With so long without you, I've come to appreciate just how short and fragile a human's life is. I never stopped to appreciate my life before, but now I… That's always the way, you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone," she offered a weak smile. "I hate change…I miss the old days… I miss silly things like you and Shippo squabbling, Sango smacking Miroku for fondling her butt… I miss you coming through the well and getting annoyed at me doing my homework… I miss _everything_ I know I'm never gonna have again." Inuyasha turned on his side, supporting his head with his hand as he reached forward with the other, stroking the side of her face.

As she turned to face him, he instantly regretted his actions, yanking his hand away from her.

"I'm so sorry…I don't have the right to touch you after I-" Kagome cut the half-demon off, taking the recoiling hand and stroking the back of it with her thumbs.

"Don't I…you don't know how long I've wanted to see you, to speak to you… How long I screamed and cried for you to come get me, but you…you never did… Please don't waste what little time we have left together believing that I _ever_ didn't want you to touch me…to hold me…to _love_ me…" Inuyasha exhaled shakily, leaping towards her, snagging a fistful of her hair at the base of her neck and holding her against his lips. Tumbling back with her in the grass, her scent invading his senses as he took it all in desperately, engraining everything to his memory.

Kagome wrapped her arms round his neck as he pulled back for a mere instant. "I love you," he whispered, before pressing back in for an urgent kiss. "I love you." The sweet platitudes repeated every time he broke away from her lips, leaving no room for her to think he loved anyone _but_ her. Not even Kikyo, he suddenly realised, not _any_ woman had he _ever_ loved like this. Both ignoring the salty tears escaping from both their eyes, the gentle, feathery kisses appreciating her curved human ears, as her weak fingers did the same for his half-demon ones, tracing the soft pink of his inner ear, before caressing the fine outer, silvery hairs. Running down to gently nip at her neck, Inuyasha allowed his tears to freely fall, he didn't care anymore. This was _his_ Kagome, and if this was to be one of their last moments together, he wasn't going to hide anything, not even his sadness.

Passes of his tongue healed the minor scratches and cuts that adorned her collarbone and neck, his claws kept in check as his hands lay either side of her, keeping his weight off of her. She was so weak from the blood-loss beforehand, as well as whatever had taken its toll on her back in her era. He wasn't going to hurt her again. This girl, this woman, this precious gift that the gods in all their mercy on his otherwise worthless life, had blessed him with, he was going to love and worship her a life time's worth. "I love you," he repeated, his voice wavering with tears as the sadness reached it, "no one _, nothing_ even begins to compare…"

Kagome swallowed hard, and Inuyasha looked up to her pressing a chaste kiss, a total opposite to the passionate ones before, on her lips, noting her ethereal paleness.

"Kagome?" he asked, "are you-"

"Please Inuyasha," she interrupted, "even if you have to lie to me…give me this…one – this one last time…" Inuyasha swallowed this time, trying to regain his posture, feeling himself losing to despair at her words. Leaning forward, he kissed her once more. "You're gonna live Kagome," he lied in a coarse whisper, his tears still falling, golden eyes turning red and swollen with his silent crying. "You're gonna stay with me, you're…you're gonna watch Shuri grow up and…" he broke off, silencing his brewing scream of inner agony and despair by pressing his lips against hers. "…and we're gonna have the time we never got to have before…" Kagome smiled warmly at him, for that moment, truly believing his words. Inuyasha's heart nearly completely broke, knowing deep down, she was merely allowing herself that fanciful belief, because she knew what was to come.

Deft but frail fingertips untied his kimono and slowly pushed away the white kosode, leaving his chest bare. Dark, hazel eyes glimmered up at him with the sunlight, as fearless and happy as they'd once been all that time ago. This time was to be different, he assured himself, returning the favour of undress to her, he wasn't going to lose control and hurt her this time; _this time_ , he was going to give her an experience that would bring that happiness she didn't get before. This time, he'd make sure that she'd recall a time where he'd given her unconditional adoration and tenderness, when she closed her eyes for the last time…

Miroku watched the sun set along the horizon, torn between his fear for Sango and their unborn child, and fear for what was taking Inuyasha and Kagome so long to return, especially as the monk sensed the imminent attack of demons. Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream tore through the silence of the village. The monk turned and darted into the hut, seeing Kaede pressing Sango's shoulders back down onto the futon.

"Hush, child, it will be okay…" The demon slayer ignored Kaede's soothing voice, another screamed retching from her throat. Miroku's eyes shot to the dark corner as he saw movement, instantly relaxing as he saw Shuri sitting there, watching Sango with worried amethyst eyes. Miroku silently motioned for the boy to follow him, finding that at least he could remove Shuri from the hut, whatever way the events turned for Sango and the baby, they wouldn't be pleasant.

"Where's my Daddy?" asked Shuri warily, fumbling with the corner of his blanket nervously.

"He's talking with your Mother," Miroku replied as happily as he could, not wanting Shuri to worry, and hoping that his reply to the boy was true. Opening the door to his and Sango's own hut, Miroku showed Shuri the bed that belonged to Kohaku. "Here, I'm sure Kohaku wouldn't mind, he won't be getting much sleep anyways, he's far too desperate to help Sango, so you can sleep here. Shuri nodded, climbing onto the bed. "Will you be okay here?" Miroku asked softly, and Shuri nodded with a wide yawn. The monk smiled weakly, turning to leave.

"Mister?" Miroku paused at the small voice, turning back to face the little half-demon. "Will that lady be okay?"

"I…I hope so, Shuri," he said softly, before departing the hut, letting the reed matting of the door fall slowly back into place behind him.

As soon as the monk walked a mere three steps from his hut, he collided hard with someone. "Kohaku," Miroku said, looking down to the boy he'd nearly knocked clean off his feet, "I apologise, my head was in the clouds, I-"

"-Miroku! It's Sister, she's – she's – and the baby is – come quickly!" Miroku nodded, the two of them rushing over to Kaede's hut.

Another scream from the woman he loved tore at his heart as he and Kohaku rushed into the dimly lit hut. "MIROKU!"

"I'm here Sango," he answered her, panicking. Grasping her hand, the monk looked up to the elderly woman who was watching Sango carefully. "What is it?" Miroku asked desperately, "What's happening?"

"Whether the baby is alive from your earlier battle or not, ye shall soon know," she replied her voice sounding apprehensive, "Sango's water has broken."

"Meaning it's-"

"Meaning whether your child has survived or not, it is on its way." Miroku worried his bottom lip between his teeth.

"And…how long?" Kaede watched him carefully for a moment before replying.

"She is ready to push, but…"

"But?!" he repeated, his wife's younger brother looking terrified at his side, eyes darting to and from each person in the room.

"Have ye forgotten, Miroku? Can ye not sense it?" There was another silence. "The demons are here."

Shuri sighed softly as his mind wandered from sleep to reality, fondling the blanket that smelled soothingly like both of his parents. His brow furrowed slightly as his small, clawed fingertips found something small and hard in his blanket, sitting up groggily, he unfolded it, seeing the sparkling jewel that his mother had shown him once before. He found himself awake completely as he gazed at its iridescent, lavender glow, which made him shiver. The thing was eerie when it wasn't that nice white colour it was when he'd seen it before.

It suddenly came back to him, how he had the jewel. When Kagome had sent him through the well to find Inuyasha, she had entrusted it to him, to keep it pure, sure he'd be safe once he found Inuyasha, who, upon sensing a mix of Kagome and himself in Shuri, would immediately find him, if Shuri didn't find him first. And when his mother and he had hidden underneath that floor in that hut, Kagome had dropped it, and Shuri had scooped it up, wrapping it securely in his blanket, remembering how important Kagome had told him it was. _Maybe Mama forgot to take it back,_ he thought as he rested his head back down on the bedding. _I hope I didn't worry them too much._ He remembered awaking in Kaede's hut, and seeing how relieved his mother was, before she'd said she had to go speak with Inuyasha, darting off only after giving Miroku strict instructions to look after him.

The little half-demon sighed, lying patiently in the hut. He knew his parents would come get him when they had finished talking. _Besides,_ he thought, _Mummy said to be a good boy and do as Miroku said, and he said to stay here. So I will._

Suddenly, Shuri's nose twitched. He'd sensed something, just like his mother had said his father could do. _But what is it?_ All of a sudden, screams, full of pain and terror, hundreds of them, from everywhere. He snatched up his blanket and the jewel, tucking them into his kimono, and darted under the bed, covering the puppy ears atop his head. _Make it stop, make I stop, make it stop!_ He begged, not really knowing who he was asking.

Then, upon opening his watery eyes, and seeing the source of that odd scent, he recoiled as far back against the wall as he could, fear rushing through him, making his blood run cold. Fire. Burning, growing flames licked up the opposite wall, causing the ceiling to creak threateningly, about to fall. "Mummy, Daddy, Please…help me!" he screamed, inhaling smoke as he did so. He looked towards the mat door, which slowly crumbled as it burnt away. People dashed past the hut in different directions, unaware of his plight, too busy with their own. Purple-hued eyes widened as he choked on more smoke, watching scaly, horrific creatures that his grandmother once tried to tell him only existed in nightmares, tore into the frenzied people rushing though the village, their blood staining both them and the ground, spilling into the flames that were slowly consuming the hut Shuri was hiding in. He screamed again, clamping his hands even tighter over his ears in an attempt to close of their horrific screams of agony, shutting his eyes tight. Still, nobody heard his screams. At least he thought nobody had.

A familiar growl reached Shuri's ears, and he forced himself to open his tear-stained eyes, seeing beyond the flames, outside the hut, a figure trying to force its way through the flames, though failing as demons attacked her from every angle. A cry of pain filled the air as a demon's fangs ripped into her neck. Throwing all she had into the attack, she threw the demon from her body and into the doorway of the hut, momentarily dousing the flames.

Shuri found himself smiling despite himself, leaping up and running towards her, he thought he was saved. Kilala let out a reassuring purring noise as she moved towards him, the flames roaring up the doorway behind her. Suddenly, just as Shuri reached for her, the ceiling gave an even fiercer creak than before, and tumbled down upon them. The boy screamed as Kilala threw herself against his little body, crushing him against the back wall of the hut, surrounding him completely with her fur. The ceiling beams lay over the door. They were trapped.

Kilala was immune to the fire, and if she covered Shuri with her fur, so would he, but neither were immune to the toxic smoke which was beginning to eat away what little oxygen remained. Shuri's fingers wrapped themselves in her fur, seeking comfort or some form of reassurance. The fire-cat demon offered her best purr, resting her head over his protectively. They were trapped. There was no way out of this. The cat demon could hear her mistress calling for her distraughtly through the screams and desperation, thanks to her demon-heightened hearing (which had allowed her to hear Shuri), but she couldn't answer the calls. No one could even knew they were there, trapped in the building flames and smoke. Shuri choked, Kilala's desperate howls his distorted lullaby as his eyes closed against the burning hut, his world turning black.

"KILALA!" Sango screamed as her husband and Kohaku assisted in carrying her to the safety of Inuyasha's forest. "KILALA WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"She's gone Sango, we have to get going," Miroku told her, trying to stop her struggling, it being difficult to hold her as it was, due to her body suffering heavy contractions at the same time.

"I'M NOT LEAVING HERE WITHOUT HER! SHE BROUGHT ME ALL THIS WAY! SHE'S BEEN WITH ME LONGER THAN ALMOST **ANYONE**! I WON'T LEAVE HER BEHIND! KILALA!"

"Miroku!" The monk turned and saw Shippo charging towards him, leading a large bunch of screaming women and children.

"Shippo! Am I glad to see you," he regarded those following him, "did you not find him?" Shippo shook his head with a grimace, his eyes watering up.

"Inuyasha and Kagome are nowhere to be found, and I went to your hut, but…"

"But?" Kohaku asked impatiently, this was no time for messing around. They had to get Sango ad the rest to safety.

"The hut was up in flames, if – if Shuri was there, there was no way he-"

"-And Kilala?" Sango asked weakly, still holding hope.

"I couldn't see her, maybe she took him to safety, or maybe…"

"Enough," Miroku said hurriedly, "we have to get away from here, these women and children need help, and Sango is going to have this baby any minute, we have to get going-"

"-But what about Inuyasha and Kagome and-"

"-There's no time!" Shippo and the others nodded resolutely, they could grieve later, right now, they had to get away.

"Quick!" yelled Kohaku, pointing to the demons darting towards them. "They've seen us! RUN!"

As they turned and ran into the trees, Kohaku turned, standing his ground.

"KOHAKU! NO!" The boy ignored Miroku's calls, and Miroku couldn't stay, instead carrying his pained wife along with the others. The monk lingered long enough to see Kohaku slice through the demons like paper with his scythe, before turning to dart after them. Miroku knew he was okay, he was following after them. Under the protection of the trees, the group continued running, fleeing as far from the battle as possible. Only trouble was, under the thick trees' canopy, with the sun far below the horizon, it was pitch black within the confines of the forest.

"FOX FIRE!" The monk heard, and saw a glimmering, emerald glow ahead of him, where the kitsune's voice had sounded. He smiled; the once cowardly Shippo would have made Kagome and Inuyasha proud; he was leading the women and children to safety. "Come on, Miroku!" The kitsune called back.

"You go on ahead, Kohaku is only just behind, and I can't carry Sango well on my own like this for much longer!" Sango grumbled something about it being his fault that she was so fat, and he ignored it, turning to se Kohaku stumbling towards them.

"RUN! THEY'RE STILL FOLLOWING!" Miroku's eyes widened at the luminous red eyes darting after him, not able to see the rest of the creature in the darkness.

"Don't be so foolish! Stop fleeing boy!" The monk and the two demon slayers recognized that voice!

Suddenly Kohaku stumbled, falling flat into the dirt. A swipe through the air was heard, and Kohaku cringed, feeling the pursuing demon's corpse fall _either side_ of him. Kohaku looked dazed as he just made out the two separate halves of the revolting being, tilting his head to look up at its killer. "Ironic, isn't it? That once I strove to kill you, only to now save you?" Miroku never thought he'd be glad, or smile, at hearing Lord Sesshomaru's voice.

"I suppose my Little brother is nowhere to be found?" Sesshomaru asked. Miroku and the others were still in awe, and Shippo, the women and children (who had all come back to _save_ the others), stood in wonder of the demon lord.

" _You_ were fighting along side us? In that village?" Sesshomaru smirked.

"Indeed. I was fighting along side you, value that tiny village and its inhabitants as Inuyasha does." Miroku and the others couldn't process that information right now; the fact that Sesshomaru was fighting for a _human_ village, to save _human_ lives, all for his _half-demon_ brother. It was preposterous! But they didn't care! Just the notion that Lord Sesshomaru was fighting on their side increased their chance of survival.

Suddenly, a huffing and spluttering noise was heard, and Jaken appeared, followed closely by Rin, and some other survivors from the village. Had the situation not been so serious, Miroku might've laughed. _Jaken_ , Lord _Sesshomaru's_ servant, carrying a wounded human woman on his back, (and looking _very_ peeved about it too, Miroku noted). Rin smiled warmly at Miroku, Sango and _especially_ Kohaku. The little human girl smiled up at her lord, jostling the fussing human baby in her arms, which she was holding for the wounded woman on Jaken's back.

"Lord Sesshomaru, there are a few more survivors with us. Did Rin do well?" Sesshomaru _almost_ smiled at her, and gave her a short nod, which made her smile with glee. "And Master Jaken helped too Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken grumbled, though quickly silenced at the smile on Sesshomaru's face. God he hated it when his lord smiled. It always resulted in someone getting hut, namely _him_!

"Where is Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru asked, letting the little toad stew for a while, it would be more fun if he got him when he wasn't expecting it.

"He went for a talk with Kagome, that was just after you left today, and they never came back." Sesshomaru, to Miroku's surprise, looked _distressed_ at his words?

"And Shuri?" Miroku shook his head.

"W-We never found him, nor Kilala, even Kaede, who was with us just before we fled, she disappeared also. We hoped that-" Suddenly all fell silent, they heard a distinct growl ahead of them. They all met Sesshomaru's eyes. They knew who that growl belonged to. "Inuyasha!" Miroku gasped. "What if he – what if _Kagome_ -"

"Quickly," Sesshomaru urged, the group darting towards the noise as fast as they could.

Inuyasha smiled down at Kagome's still, peaceful face, not touched by agony any longer as he walked back towards the village with her in his arms. _She's not in pain any more,_ he thought, holding her small frame tight against his chest. He blinked, his eyes devoid of tears, he couldn't cry anymore, he _wouldn't_. Suddenly, his ears pricked, he could hear footsteps, dozens of thundering footsteps, and they were heading straight towards him!

He let out a loud growl or warning, only to see Miroku and Kohaku, struggling with Sango, all lit by a strange green light that the kitsune was holding. He felt his heart leap into his throat at the sight of the odd two dozen wounded villagers following close behind, along with Sesshomaru, Rin and Jaken. _What the hell happened?_ He mentally panicked. And then his heart stopped, missing a beat. Where was Shuri?

"Inuyasha, thank god you're-"

"-Miroku, what the hell-"

"-The demons attacked the village, the caught us off guard, it's being demolished as we speak. We saved what survivors we could and fled."

"What about Shuri?" Inuyasha asked, not a blip of a second after Miroku had finished speaking. Miroku's voice failed him. And Inuyasha's eyes widened. "You heard me _monk_ ," Inuyasha practically spat, his voice full of anger, "where is Shuri?!"

"He didn't…Inuyasha, he didn't make it out alive-"

"-Bullshit! That's bullshit!"

"Inuyasha you-"

"-NO!" Inuyasha looked down at Kagome's still form once more, before holding her limp form out to his older brother. "S-Sesshomaru, will you take her for me…?" Sesshomaru frowned, but took her never the less. Inuyasha watched her, reluctant to let her go; it felt wrong to let her go like this, it felt like…goodbye.

Suddenly, as Sango, (not suffering from contractions at that moment), tilted her head to gaze at her friend. Upon seeing her, the demon slayer screamed.

"INUYASHA YOU BASTARD! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!" Inuyasha flinched at her words.

"Wench! What do you-"

"HER NECK! HER NECK IS BLEEDING!" Everyone's eyes cast to the puncture wound on the girl's neck. Several deep gashes characterised a wound that could only have been made by a demon – a demon's _fangs_ to be precise. "YOU'VE KILLED HER!"

"Sango, I-"

"THAT'S UTTER CRAP! EVERYTHING THAT FALLS OUT OF YOUR MOUTH ARE LIES! **EVERYBODY** KNOWS WHAT YOU DID TO HER BEFORE, WHEN SHURI WAS **CONCEIVED** , NOW YOU LET YOUR DEMON SIDE FINISH THE JOB?!"

"Sango, I didn't! She was dying! And I tried to save her but-" Inuyasha bit his lower lip in anger, drawing blood. "Heck I'm not explaining myself to you…" he growled, golden eyes flashing crimson for a short moment in the glow of the light Shippo was holding up. "Keep going. Head somewhere safe. I'm going to find Shuri," he muttered, giving all their accusatory looks an infuriated glare, darting off into the darkness. The group stood in silence for a long time, with demons at them from all sides; they didn't know where to turn. Was _anywhere_ safe anymore?

Miroku sighed in defeat. Up until this point, he'd been strong, but here he was, holding his wife who was in labour with a child that he didn't know was alive or dead, and Sesshomaru holding Kagome's body, just as clueless, hordes of demons surrounding them. They were trapped. Sesshomaru eyed him carefully, as if reading his thoughts. Just as the monk started to get a little worried that the demon _could_ do such a thing, Sesshomaru spoke.

"If you would all lay your trust in me, I know of a place we can be safe." Miroku raised an eyebrow. _Trust_ Sesshomaru? Was that even possible?

"Really?" Kohaku asked boldly, sounding slightly sarcastic in his tone. "And exactly how far? If you haven't noticed, we're short on time, in the sense of my sister about to drop her child here in Inuyasha's forest, _and_ in the sense of the wounded villagers being enclosed by demons. _Where_ exactly did you have in mind?" Sesshomaru smirked, a gesture that made Jaken shiver.

"I will show you…and as for 'how far', you have no need for such a trifling thing as long-distance travel in my company – well, if we have a specific location that is – which _this_ Sesshomaru does…"

Everyone looked a bit apprehensive, besides Rin, who merely looked pleased with her lord, and Jaken, who simply looked fearful. "Gather round, and I'll take you all there," Sesshomaru practically purred. _Should we trust him or not?_ Miroku pondered, each and every one of them, all seeming to have the same difficult question in mind, whilst the demon lord patiently awaited their decision, even as they heard a stampede of thundering, enraged footsteps drawing closer and closer.

Inuyasha winced as his bare feet hit the earth. The dirt underfoot burning hot like cinders, as painful as it was, didn't even register after he took in the foul stench of human blood, screams of tortured agony filling the air. His nose twitched as if trying to recoil at the heavy smoke weighing in the air. Leaping forwards Inuyasha's claws sliced through an attacking demon, freeing the screaming villager from its grasp.

"T-Thank you," was all that fell from the stuttering man's lips before he scrambled to his feet, darting into the forest.

"Is that all he could offer you? Even after you saved his mangy ass? Not very polite now is it?" came the calm, grainy voice Inuyasha recognized without even turning round.

"He doesn't need to thank me, I didn't save him for thanks," Inuyasha grumbled in reply. "What're you doing here Kouga?"

"Helping, Mutt-face, what does it look like I'm doin'?" Inuyasha sneered. He didn't have time for this.

"Feh, whatever. Sesshomaru, Miroku and the others are in the forest, hurry and get the other survivors to them." Kouga stood silently behind him, watching the embers fly slowly in the heated breeze, the village that was once so full of life now gone up in flames.

"Alright, I'll play the dutiful beta of your pack, but _only_ 'cause lives are at stake, ya got that mutt?" Inuyasha snorted, shooting further into the flaming village, wincing every time his feet touched the smouldering ground.

"Shuri?!" Inuyasha dodged an oncoming blow, leaping forwards onto his hands and swiping at the demon with his legs, sending it crashing to the ground. "Dammit," the half-demon growled, "SHURI WHERE ARE YOU?!" Suddenly, his ears pricked. That noise, a strangled whimper of pain that Inuyasha could recognise instantly.

Eyes darted wildly around, his head swivelling in every direction, trying to pick up the direction of the sound. _Dammit, the heavy scent of burning has masked every other smell, my nose is useless!_ And then he heard it again, louder this time – to his right. Golden eyes reflected with the fiery light, as he glanced in what _had been_ Miroku. Sango and Kohaku's home, the matted door burnt clean off, the ceiling collapsed in, covering the door, quickly setting the remainder of the hut ablaze. Not seeing anything inside, he turned away from the hut quickly, letting out a frustrated growl. _Where the hell is he?_

Desperation clawed at his heart as he glanced over into the hut opposite. Nothing there either. Moving forwards to try and find the source of the noise, Inuyasha winced at the shrill, panicked cry that reached his ears. Spinning on his heel, the half-demon darted over to the source of the noise. "Kilala?!" he called in the blazing hut, kicking aside the beams covering the door, a scream tearing from his throat at the searing agony of the fire meeting his flesh. But he didn't care. He swatted his pain aside as he leapt over the building flames that surrounded his cat-demon companion. Pain was negligible, pain he could harbour, but he _wouldn't_ lose anybody else.

Stooping to the demon curled up on the floor in her larger, battle form, Inuyasha touched her ears softly.

"It's okay Kilala. Let's get you outta here," he growled reassuringly, fearing how vulnerable and strained she looked, as if she were forcing her transformation even through her exhaustion. "Change back and I'll carry you outta here, okay?" The cat-demon looked up at him weakly, letting out a shrill noise that hurt his ears, making them clamp tight against his head. The half-demon coughed hard suddenly, inhaling some of the smoke. Pulling his kimono sleeve over his mouth and nose, he motioned to the demon. "Come on! We gotta go!" With a fiery blaze the demon's form was swallowed up, re-emerging in her smaller form, and collapsing against Inuyasha's knee. The half-demon's eyes widened. "Shuri!" Seizing hold of the ash-covered boy, Inuyasha pulled him hard against his chest, resting against the unmoving form in his arms. "Please wake up…I _can't lose_ you, I just can't…" His head jolted up as the walls of the hut started to creak without their supports. It was going to collapse on their heads if he didn't move it. Pulling off his kimono, Inuyasha secured Kilala in Shuri's lap, wrapping them both up in the fire-rat material.

Getting to his knees, Inuyasha's keen eyes glanced hurriedly over the entrance. The walls gave an even more threatening lurch and Inuyasha swallowed hard. _This is gonna hurt like hell…_

Leaping forwards, the half-demon took off on one foot, sending himself and his precious cargo flying through the flaming doorway. Crying out in pain as fire tore at his flesh; Inuyasha sank his fangs into his lower lip, blood dripping from the wound it caused. Landing easily on his now blistered feet, the half-demon shot into the forest, clutching the bundle wrapped in the protective cloth of the fire rat to his chest, smearing it with his blood as it oozed from the wounds on his face. A sharp gasp tore through the air, and Inuyasha winced, the sound coming from him. He was losing too much blood, his vision blurring, and sense of reality fading as he started to sway in his quick leaps through the forest. "N-No I…It can't, I…Shuri and…" his voice ripped at his throat like sharp knives grating it. Then he felt it. Something horrifyingly familiar pulsed inside his chest. "N-No…No!" he managed out, his voice echoing around the forest. A nasty sliding motion fell across his marred skin on his cheeks, and his connection to the unbearable agony in his wounded body suddenly severed. Just as suddenly as he'd no longer felt the pain, his once golden eyes bled red. _I'm going to die_ , was _Inuyasha's_ last conscious thought, before he blacked out, his suddenly full demon eyes gazed down at the bundle in his arms.

TBC


	12. Blood

_Blood_

~Chapter Twelve~

"Sango are you insane?!" screamed Miroku, "You can't have our child here!" Sango glared at him, leaning her exhausted body back against the extravagant sheets.

"Well what do you propose, Miroku?" she managed out, closing her eyes for a moment, bracing herself with her arms against the bed linen as another contraction passed. "There is a chance this baby might be dead already…" Her voice lowered to an almost inaudible level, her dark bangs clinging to her forehead with sweat, hiding her eyes from view. "But if it _is_ alive, and stays where it is any longer, it'll die…" Miroku bit his lower lip.

"B-But, Sango this is Sesshōmaru! And this is _his_ home! How do we know if we can trust him?" The worry of everything that might befall his family had begun to get to the monk, and his very out of character panic was increasing rapidly.

"Do what you will, Monk," came Sesshōmaru's emotionless voice fro the doorway where he stood, "I have other, more stressing matters to tend to." With that, the demon lord departed, closing the door behind him. Miroku let out a small sigh. Squeezing his wife's hand gently.

"I'm sorry Sango; I didn't mean to be so…I went over the top. But what with the baby, and you, and everything else…" Sango smiled as best she could at the moment.

"It's alright…M-Miroku…It's well known that when it rains it pours. Everything hits you all at once in life, we just have to take it as it comes, I'm afraid…" Miroku glanced up at her. He'd never felt this lost, this confused in his life. Not even with the Wind Tunnel growing more and more each year did he panic so much. How could he have done this? How could he have dared to chance a life with Sango, with it probable that Naraku and the Shikon no Tama would destroy them?

"How can you think of trying to reassure _my_ peace of mind when it's you that…that…"

"Miroku…? I…I love you, okay?" Miroku's eyes glazed over, widening in fear.

"Don't. Don't you dare. Don't you dare say goodbye-"

"-AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The monk shot to his feet, leaping towards the door and flinging his head out of it.

"Somebody help?!" Darting out into the deserted halls, screaming at the top of his lungs. Something was happening to the person he loved. Something he didn't understand, something he couldn't help her with...

Suddenly Miroku spun on his heel, colliding with another body. Thanking the gods it wasn't Sesshōmaru he'd just knocked clean off his feet, Miroku glanced down in confusion, his azure eyes meeting with two hazel ones.

"Good evening, Lord Miroku." The monk eased slightly, smiling at the little girl.

"Hello Rin," he replied curtly but hastily, "I'm sorry I can't talk now, I need to-"

"-Lord Sesshōmaru asked me to fetch Ms Ayagi for you," she interrupted brightly. Though several inches taller, her hair more lengthy, she looked exactly as she did when the monk had last seen her five years ago. It confused them all that the human girl was still here, being allowed to live as the ' _F_ _eared Lord Sesshōmaru's_ _'_ ward for this long. "She's the healer of the castle. Lord Sesshōmaru called for her back when I'd only just come here. He thought that Lady Sango might be in need of assistance." Miroku blinked several times before he found his voice.

"Yes of course." The monk finally noticed the slightly worn woman, short, course grey hair framing her wrinkling face. "Come, quickly! She needs-" The monk cut off as another scream wrenched from his wife's throat. _She needs a miracle,_ Miroku added mentally, as they darted back into the room, a perturbing pool of blood staining the silken sheets. "Oh my lord… Sango! SANGO!"

_Sesshōmaru winced at the sight of his brother kneeling before him, offering the pale flesh of the back of his neck up for attack._

_"Do it." The half-demon growled out, and Sesshōmaru frowned._

_"And just what is it that you propose I do?" Inuyasha licked his suddenly dry lips, taking a shaky inhale of breath._

_"Kill me, Brother…" Even the allegedly cold-hearted Lord of the Western lands, felt his eyes wide at the gesture. "It's what you've wanted, been striving to do since I was conceived…Do it." Sesshomaru let the silence remain a little after Inuyasha's words sank into the cruel, unforgiving night air._

_"And what's taken my once annoying_ _half-sibling down from his high perch of pride and thirst for life?" Inuyasha unconsciously wet his lips once more._

_"I…You know what I've done…I've destroyed the person I love the most…I don't_ _deserve to live after it…"_

_Inuyasha tilted his head to look up at his older brother. When the demon didn't respond any further, the half-demon wrenched the Tetsusaiga from the sheath at his side, the blade transforming in his hand, holding the hilt up for Sesshōmaru to take. "You can_ _have it…" Inuyasha ground out, biting back the treacherous salt that pricked the backs of his golden orbs._

_Sesshōmaru's hand wavered over his younger brothers which held the sword, not moving onwards in taking it. What had caused that uncharacteristic look of defeat in once proud, triumphant eyes? He knew. By tasting the scent of the air, Sesshōmaru could tell. Fresh blood, and the staling smell of Inuyasha's full demon form. But despite knowing what had been the cause, the full demon couldn't shake the odd, unnameable feeling that shook him at seeing his younger brother this way. Begging for death._

_"But why-"_

_"-Because I want you to fucking kill me with it!" Inuyasha barked. Thrusting the blade into Sesshōmaru's hand, the full demon was shocked that he felt no barrier, no eye-watering sting. The fang was in his hand. He could wield it. But why? "Just do it already," Inuyasha mumbled, returning his gaze to the dirt. "Kill me…"_

Sesshōmaru flinched at that memory. The painful recollection stung at his heart as he hurried down the many stairs of the castle. It was a good four years ago since then, but the image of Inuyasha bowed at his feet, asking to be killed by him was still bitterly fresh in his mind. _I should have realised he needed help, should've relinquished my damn pride sooner… And now I've left him wandering the forest with that boy…faced with the anger of losing him, or even dying himself… He'll tear him to shreds!_

"Lord Sesshōmaru!" the said demon lord stopped, glancing down at Jaken. "Where have you-"

"-Jaken."

"Y-Yes Milord?" the toad demon quivered, looking fearfully up at his master. Normally the demon would allow a few more moments of quivering fear, taking amusement in his servant's stuttering _"ass kissing"_ as Inuyasha had once put it. However, he didn't have time to spare.

"Rouse the soldiers, and tell them to dispatch themselves in InuYasha's Forest. They are to bring back any wandering, injured or dead humans that belong to the burning village, exterminate the meandering demons, _none_ of them are to survive, you understand?" Jaken nodded furiously. "Make sure the flames are fully extinguished; salvage any bodies you can so that they may respectfully be laid to rest. And Jaken?"

"Y-Yes, Milord?" Sesshomaru wet his dry lips, unconsciously mirroring Inuyasha's repetitive movement form all those years ago.

"Inuyasha and his son are of high priority, as is the fire-cat demon that may be with them. All three of them are to be brought back _alive_. But tell them to beware, if Inuyasha reeks of full demon blood, he may be dangerous." Jaken lingered, waiting for his master to continue. "Well? What are you waiting for? GO!"

Inuyasha grated his elongated fangs against each other. Clawed fingers peeled away the red kimono slightly, revealing the pale flesh of the boy in his arms, clinging tightly to the unconscious cat demon. Blood from his own face oozed down his cheek. Blood. That seemed to be the only worldwide understanding. Demons, humans and part-demons, they all understood the meanings that blood could have. Right now, it was Inuyasha's raging demon blood, which had feared for his life, that was going to kill Shuri.

Suddenly, Inuyasha jumped, armoured demons emerging from the cover of the trees, moving slowly towards him.

"Lord Inuyasha? Lord Inuyasha, your brother-"

"-STOP!" The demons halted in their tracks at their leader's voice, and Inuyasha bared his full demon fangs. "He reeks of demon blood! He's out of control! Get out of here!" The demons stumbled back, ready to retreat, watching Inuyasha closely. The brilliant eyes of their leader widened, as they watched Inuyasha drop the bundle in his arms almost _tenderly_ to the ground, knuckles flexing with a sickening sound, claws readying to draw blood. "He's got the boy and the cat-demon! Get them away from him!"

"Oh no you don't…" the _once_ half-demon growled out, darting forwards at the warriors as they approached ripping through armour and into vulnerable flesh.

Watching three of his followers drop to the ground dead, (fallen from one quick swipe of Inuyasha's claws) the others faltered, falling back slightly. "Get them away from him!" the demon repeated, shooting forwards to land a blow on the side of Inuyasha's neck, sending him crashing to the ground. Recovering from the unexpected move, Inuyasha snarled at the attack, long claws raking into the attacking demon's chest, gripping him by the flesh and throwing him backwards. "You damn, boy! No more than a kid himself… If we don't stop him he'll kill the boy and go on a rampage!" _In that form, he knows no pain, he can only fight, and he will keep fighting until he dies._ _Even though it's not his fault, Lord Sesshōmaru's strict orders were: 'if worst comes to the worst, kill Inuyasha to save the boy…'_ thought the demon, running back towards where the unconscious half-demon and cat-demon lay.

"Get _away_! Stinkin' _demon_!" Inuyasha snarled, throwing his weight onto his hands, swinging his legs round to knock the other demon's out from under him, sending him hurtling into the dirt.

"Stop him! We have to kill him!" The assaulting demon ordered, and they all leapt into attack.

"WAIT!" For a second time, the demons all froze, including Inuyasha, about to deal his final blow to the warriors' leader, at the sound of Sesshōmaru's voice, raised in panic for the first time in their memories.

"Get away from him you idiots! He's protecting them!" Inuyasha's currently full-demon lips curled into an ominous smirk upon seeing Sesshōmaru. The warriors backed away as furthest they dared, the leaders edging backwards, scuttling like a crab out from under the paused attack of Inuyasha's claws. "Couldn't you see the way he was standing?" Sesshōmaru growled at his demon in command, "he was protecting them from _you_."

"I-I apologise, My Lord, I-"

"-Now's not the time," Sesshōmaru said simply, moving forwards slowly, setting Inuyasha on his guard. "Yes, Little Brother, I'm quite aware that you regard me as your foe in this form," pulling Tetsusaiga, unused for the last five years from it's sheath at his side, Sesshōmaru moved forwards, holding the un-transformed blade up for Inuyasha to see. The crimson-eyed Inuyasha eyed the fang carefully, keeping it in his vision. Suddenly, without warning, Sesshōmaru gripped the blade tighter, throwing it sharply at Shuri's unconscious form.

An agonised, grated scream ripped from Inuyasha's throat as he darted towards the sword. Seizing hold of it. Stopping its flight, barely an inch from Shuri's body, Inuyasha sighed – _half-demon_ Inuyasha sighed.

"You bastard…you're damn lucky I caught it!" Sesshōmaru smirked at his little brother's ranting.

"Brat. I intended you to catch the Tetsusaiga. How _else_ would you return to normal?" Inuyasha paused in his anger, catching the Tetsusaiga's sheath as Sesshōmaru tossed it to him, glancing at it slowly, as if not fully comprehending that Sesshōmaru was giving it back. "You dropped this in the burning village – fool." Inuyasha secured it away at his side, for once listening to his brother's words.

"Well I did jump through fire, Jackass! Sorry if I didn't stop to see where it was!" Not even looking at Sesshōmaru as he blustered on, Inuyasha checked Shuri's face for scrapes or cuts. _Likely making sure he caused him no harm_ , Sesshōmaru thought. "But nevertheless…Sesshōmaru, I…Thank you…I just – AH!" Inuyasha screamed as he fell to his knees in the dirt, the unbearable agony from his burns and prior injuries returning, seething through his flesh.

"Inuyasha?!"

"Sesshōmaru…I…it fucking hurts…I…Argh!" Sesshōmaru spun on his heel.

"You, remain here and follow out the rest of your orders, return to the castle with any survivors or dead afterwards. Understand?" The warriors nodded furiously, and the great demon lord dropped to his silk-clad knees in the dirt, pulling his brother's free arm round his shoulder. "Come, Brother. Hold on. I'll get you some help. Don't die on me."

Sango winced, grinding her teeth against each other as she pushed down hard. As a demon slayer, she'd suffered a lot of injuries and endured more than her fair share of pain, but this was full-blown, endurable, unspeakable agony!

"MIROKU! IF YOU COME NEAR ME AGAIN I'LL STRING YOU UP BY YOUR-" The next word was cut off with a scream of pain, where Sango's hands wrenched the sheets, legs pressing down so hard into the bedding they'd gone numb. "FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS, MAKE THE PAIN STOP ALREADY!"

"It won't be long now dear," Ayagi croaked softly, her voice grating against her aged throat.

"YOU HAVE TO SAY THAT! IT'S LIKE YOUR JOB! AHHHHH! JUST GET THIS BABY OUT OF ME!" As another contraction hit, Sango's voice strained to scream out her pain to the world.

As the contraction passed, Sango's head leant to one side. Something had happened that time, she was sure of it. She felt a painful movement in her lower body, but exhaustion was beginning to take her, she was so tired, only just managing to keep her eyes open.

"Is…is it…it here…" A short silence, and then Sango winced again, feeling something warm and wet in between her numbed legs. "Is it…" she swallowed hard, trying to form words, "…here now?"

"It is." Ayagi mumbled hurriedly, and Sango felt the _whatever_ it was removed from its place between her legs. _What's going on?_ She thought, her mind swimming swiftly away from the present and into…something else.

"Is…Is it okay? What…what is it?" Silence again. Her vision was blurring. "Why isn't it crying? What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure it's breathing…" Those five words, and Sango felt the world around her crumble. Yes, she knew the chances of the baby not surviving, but inside, she secretly thought that wouldn't happen. And now it had, she felt her pained insides knot and turn. She wanted to be sick.

"Well fix it! Make it okay!" she insisted loudly, her voice hysterical. "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A HEALER WELL DAMN WELL DO YOUR JOB!"

"Sango, my dear, I know it's hard to accept but-"

"-YES IT'S HARD TO ACCEPT! MY BABY IS DEAD!"

At that moment, the door opened, a dishevelled looking Miroku appearing slowly from behind it. By the look on his face, he'd heard Sango's words. Without speaking so much as a word, Miroku walked over to Ayagi, gently pulling the small pale body from her grasp, and cradling the lifeless body. Blue eyes, shining with unshed tears watched the little body intently, as if trying to will it back to life again. But it didn't work. Blood stained the little face, unopened eyes, which never got the chance to see the world were all that Miroku was faced on. He felt dead inside.

Amethyst eyes shot open with a start. Shuri sat up swiftly, his gaze flickering about the room, extravagantly dressed with fine silks. _Where am I?_ Suddenly, his ears flicked back against his head, trying to shut out the screams. Screaming, blood, he'd had enough of them both. Nervously sucking his clawed thumb, the half-demon hoped out of the large bed, edging towards the door that had been left ajar.

The hall beyond the door was lit with large torches all along the walls, and his ears swivelled, trying to filter out a sound that would lead him to his parents. He could smell that familiar scent, the only one he could recognise immediately – it was his mother's scent. It didn't have a particular flavour or name to it, Shuri, in his naïve youth, could only call it _home_.

Moving swiftly over to the door opposite him, his small hand pushed it open, and he stepped skittishly inside the dim room. Another chicly decorated room, similar to the one he'd awoken in, only the small half-demon's heart kept skipping beats, unsure of anything and everything. He hated being alone. Whenever he was on his own he felt the cold, cruel abandonment rise up in him, and it scared him. "Mummy?" he called quietly, not daring to raise his voice any higher. Suddenly, he caught sight of the bed, dressed with rich fabrics, draped over and around it, covering the form that was lying on it. Shuri's eyes widened. "Mummy? Mummy!" At the increased familiar scent, the half-demon darted over to the bedside, fisting his hands into the sheets to pull himself up onto it. His head tilted to the side in confusion. "Mummy?" He leant forwards on all fours; his small hand that wasn't clutching his blanket reached outwards, touching her hand timidly. "Mummy, wake up." Outside the door, the screaming still continued, but he didn't care. If he could get his mother to wake up, he knew he'd be alright. Leaning down he rested his head down on the bed, leaning against her side, small hands pulling hers insistently. "Mummy, come on. We have to go find Daddy." Looking up, he saw her eyes, still closed. "Why aren't you waking up? Mum? Mummy?"

TBC


	13. Breathing

_Breathing_

~Chapter Thirteen~

Rin sighed as she rested her head against her arms, which were propped up on her knees, back resting against the wall as she awaited some news from those inside the room. _What's going on? I thought that Miss Sango was going to have a baby? Why is everybody so upset?_

"Rin?" The human girl's head jolted up, shooting to her feet at the sight of her lord approaching the door she'd been sitting beside.

"Lord Sesshomaru! You are covered in blood! What happened to you?" Sesshomaru almost smiled at her concern, reaching down to touch her shoulder reassuringly.

"Do not concern yourself for me, Rin, this blood isn't mine, it is Inuyasha's." Rin's vivacious eyes widened in horror. "Has Ayagi finished with Inuyasha's companions?" he asked her, not waiting for her reply to open the door, and stepping inside.

Death…that's what he smelled on the stagnant air, as he entered the blood-stained room and it chilled even _his_ blood to sense it.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Ayagi croaked, bowing as low as her aged bones would allow, "I did as best I could, however…the child is dead…and…" the woman cast an uneasy glance to the silent couple in the room, then meeting her lord's eyes once more. "I'm afraid I couldn't revive it either…" Sesshomaru remained his usual passive self, allowing a short silence before he spoke again.

"Inuyasha, his son and the cat demon have been found. Shuri and the demon are fine, but Inuyasha is looking…well, not good. He's been badly burned, and has lost a lot of blood…he needs your help." The elderly woman gnawed her lip, worldly eyes gazing apologetically to Sango.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't help you, I know…it doesn't mean anything, but…I'm sorry in any case." Receiving neither an answer, nor any sign to show the demon slayer had heard her words. Sesshomaru nodded politely to the woman as she departed the room, leaving him alone with the _family_ and their misery.

"One of the unfortunate disadvantages of being who I am," the demon lord said lowly, Miroku inclining his head to regard him, his eyes quite unusually devoid of emotion, as he cradled the small lifeless body in his arms tightly, "Is that, as Inuyasha can tell you, I don't always know the correct thing to say, in times where humans need… _comforting_ words…" Those blank eyes watched him carelessly, as he approached slowly, slowly manoeuvring his clawed hand over Miroku's arm that was so securely holding the baby to his chest. Sesshomaru felt an emotion he hadn't felt in so long, not since he was a spoilt teething brat, the apple of the Great Lord Inu-no-Taishou's eye. He felt, nervous; not used to touching others so casually, or feeling quite so…sorry for them. And what was more, he wasn't used to feeling so compelled to comfort them, humans being the emotional maze that they were… "But, perhaps, as a demon, my actions, speak more than my words…"

From her place on the stained bed, Sango could just make out through her hazy, fading vision, the outline of Sesshomaru, stepping back from Miroku slightly. The once demon slayer could hear their voices, perceive the sounds, but couldn't make sense of them. Her eyes widened as she saw Sesshomaru raise his hand to Miroku. Suddenly, the air around her went cold. _Is this death?_ She saw the wraithlike form of the demon lord brought down his arm, swiping at where Miroku stood, before turning on her. The woman would have flinched, had her body been obeyed her deteriorating mind. _What's happening to me? Miroku! Help me!_ Her deadening, hazel eyes widened as the blade descended, swinging – missing. The growing greyness that had surrounded her slowly fading into their rich hues and Sango realised, Sesshomaru wasn't trying to kill her – he'd used the Tenseiga.

"M-Miroku?" The monk didn't answer her, occupied with being torn between believing what had happened and denying it. Running his rough fingers across the baby's pale cheek, he watched it contort, small arms wriggling resolutely, as its face scrunched up, and its cries filled the air.

"She's breathing! Sango she's alive!" he gasped, his voice slightly higher than usual. Sango winced as she propped herself up weakly with her elbows, trying to see the baby as Miroku stumbled towards her.

" _She_?" the woman blinked, reaching forwards disbelievingly for the infant her husband was handing her. Supporting his wife's weak arms as she held their daughter, Miroku watched the woman's face as she met her daughter's face for the first time. She was crying – or more likely screaming bloody murder, but she was alive, and right now, this blaring, blood-covered strange little scrunched up pink thing was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. "She's lovely..." Sango said softly, her weak finger toying gently with the girl's little hands, which were flailing about, determined to hit something in her confusion. Miroku smirked.

"I think she's going to have her Mama's temper," Sango smiled softly. Normally the remark would earn the monk a bop on the head, but right now, she welcomed his voice, whatever it was saying. Everything they'd suffered through all these years, it was all suddenly worth it, she had her family, and as long as she did, she'd never regret or want for anything else.

Sesshomaru's face remained as expressionless as ever, as he slowly slinked out of the room, shutting the door quietly, but not before giving the male demon slayer a nod of assurance for him to go in and see his sister. The demon leant his back against the closed door, golden eyes shut gently against the cruel light from the torches. Letting out a small sigh of overexertion, Sesshomaru thought through what had just happened. He'd saved them – a human child and her _demon slaying_ mother. He wasn't fully aware of what had possessed him, but the disembodying feelings, those torturous emotions…they didn't feel bad…on the contrary, when he saw the look of the three of them as he'd just left them, he didn't even mind that they hadn't said thank you. No, it didn't feel bad to help them. However what he was feeling now, with the realisation that he still had his brother still very much in the deep end, he started to feel… _very_ different. _Anxious? Scared? Is that what this is?_ The demon lord pondered his new raging emotions as he followed the smell of his brother's blood to a room just a few doors down, wincing at the blood-churning screams of his brother as his clawed hand took hold of the elegantly carved knob.

Suddenly, Sesshomaru paused. He could hear something. Releasing his hold on the door handle, the demon pursued the sound, allowing it to lead him to a door that had been left ajar. Slipping in silently, the demon lord's brow creased, at the sight of the small, quivering, silver-haired form on the body, whimpering like a beaten dog next to the bloodied form of his unmoving mother.

"Boy? What are you doing?" The silver puppy ears pricked at the voice, and the head rose, watering, amethyst eyes watching him fearfully.

"M-My…" he sniffed hard, wiping his eyes on his baggy kimono sleeve, "my Mummy is…Why won't she wake up? What happened to her? Where's Daddy? Why can't she answer me?!" Sesshomaru approached slowly.

"So many questions…"

"She NOT dead! She's NOT! She's not, SHE'S NOT!" Sesshomaru felt a little taken back by the raised voice that was usually so timid. _He's just like his father, deep down…_

"Silence yourself."

"No! Not until she wakes up! She can't leave me again! She promised! She said everything would be okay!"

"Shuri-"

"-HOW CAN IT BE OKAY IF SHE'S NOT HERE TOO?!" Sesshomaru refrained from raising his hand to the child who had constantly cut across his words. His sensitive ears hurt from the screaming, he'd heard too much already, and apart from that, this child's distress wasn't helping his overtaxed, suddenly thawed heart, which was already weighed heavy with worry for Inuyasha, who currently lay screaming out his torture in the other room. He watched at Shuri's ears flattened to his head, nuzzling his mother's still hand determinedly. "WAKE UP! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME ALL ALONE AGAIN! I'LL BE STRONGER! I'LL BE BETTER! I WON'T CRY ANYMORE, I PROMISE!"

"Shuri silence! Stop crying immediately! You need to-"

"-PLEASE! PLEASE WAKE UP!" Even the once cold-hearted demon lord felt his heart strings being tugged at the tear-drenched cries. Like _too_ many times before, but with Inuyasha, he practically felt himself kneel to dry and soothe those tears. But he didn't, his motions and voice stopped still, with a particularly anguished cry from the other room. _Inuyasha!_

"Shuri…" Ears pricked at the gentle, weary voice. A hand softly caressed the hopeful puppy ears, tracing the pink underside deftly. "You have to be good…for me…okay?" Shuri raised his head cautiously, as if should his own eyes meet the sight he'd realise he was imagining it. But he wasn't.

"M-Mummy?" Kagome's eyelashes fluttered slowly, as her eyes opened, drained hazel meeting teary purple.

"I'm…I'm okay Shuri…just tired…you have to be good…until I wake up…okay?" Shuri nodded frantically.

"But you have to promise you'll wake up! Promise me! You promise?" Kagome raised a finger to her lips, silently asking the boy to quieten.

"I promise…" She winced. If it were in his character, Sesshomaru would have gasped in shock.

"But…weren't you supposed to be dead? Inuyasha-"

"-Saved me…" she wet her lips before continuing, squeezing Shuri's hand gently. "We…" she cast a look at Sesshomaru, and he raised a (secretly embarrassed) brow.

"You let him take you?" he asked. She nodded bashfully.

"And…I think I was going to die…but he…he said something about a bond, where we wouldn't have to live without each other…and I wouldn't be weak, or sick anymore…it wasn't guaranteed it would work, Inuyasha said it might not, since I was…so close, but…"

"He finished what you both started the night your son was conceived?" Sesshomaru asked, already knowing the answer, and not allowing her much time to do so. "He made you his mate – extending your life span, healing and other capabilities to almost match his own." The priestess nodded, wincing at the tortured sound of Inuyasha's voice.

"What's happened? What's wrong with Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru watched the woman's fiery eyes, so different to her shattered body, as he fought for a gentle way to express what had happened. He found none, and the priestess was demanding an answer.

Inuyasha grit his teeth against the pain, his skin burning. He felt like he was back at the village, still jumping through that fire. The agony was as fresh as if the flames were still licking at his skin, tearing it away from his body. It hurt, it hurt so much he could scream non-stop, but it wouldn't help. It wouldn't do anything but make him look more pitiful than he already must look. He was glad Kagome couldn't see him like this – snivelling, skin burnt re-raw, blood flowing from his body faster than he could heal. _Gods…help me!_ "HELP ME SOMEBODY PLEASE!"

"My Lord, Lie still! I'm trying to stop the blood loss!" Inuyasha screamed all the more as the elderly woman poured more of that loathsome, searing liquid onto his blistered flesh, making a sickening hissing sound. The two demons posted either side of him pinned him down as gently as they could, as his body arced up in agony in response to the stinging. "For love of the gods! Kill me! Somebody! Just make the pain stop!"

"Give me something to use as a tie," Ayagi barked, and one of the two demons handed her a tie from his own hair, watching as the woman gathered Inuyasha's blood-stained tresses, untouched by the flames (she guessed, for some reason, due to his demon blood) and tying it up out of the way, keeping it from catching on his wounds.

"Get him up. He needs to stand free of the bed, if his skin heals with the fabric clinging to him as it does, it will cause him trouble you can bet that." The woman wiped her brow as she stepped back, the agonised half-demon body thrashing about as the two demons raised him to his feet, steadying him there, acting as supports.

"Knock me unconscious at _least_ you old hag!" Inuyasha growled.

"I'm sorry, Lord Inuyasha. I have no time to prepare a herbal method for it, and any other methods might damage you further, I don't think it is wise to physically _knock_ you out; any more damage and your body won't be able to heal at all I'm sure."

"I DON'T CARE! You're a HEALER! Make the pain damn well STOP!"

"Inuyasha, please, be strong for a little longer…" Inuyasha grit his teeth against the pain as she gathered more of the liquid in a small bowl, pouring it over his flesh. She winced at the look of it. The white material still clung to the burnt flesh, making things difficult. She needed to get the material off before it healed over. It would _surely_ get infected if it was left. Years she'd been tending to Rin, ever since she'd come under Sesshomaru's care in fact, and before that, she had spent her life caring for wounds more bizarre and painful than most would _ever_ see, but this made her physically flinch. She didn't know how even a half- _demon_ was going to pull back from this. _But I have to try…_

"His hair strangely seemed to act as a shield to a lot of his back, and where he held the fire-rat kimono to his chest, the boy inside, it protected a little of his front as well," Ayagi informed the demon lord who had just slipped inside the room, and who, she could _sense_ was watching her both quizzically and uneasily.

"Can you not give him something for the pain?" Sesshomaru asked. But before he got his answer, he felt something shove its way past him, darting over to the half-demon.

"Oh my gods, Inuyasha…!" Kagome's hand paused over her lips, before she reached slowly towards the blemished face of Inuyasha. "W-What happened…?"

"Ka…" Inuyasha grit his teeth against the pain, trying to hold back his scream, not wanting Kagome to see him cry out like some child. But he knew, by the tortured look on her sweet face that he must look as bad as he felt. "Kagome…" he feigned a smirk, which made his skin sear with pain, and he instantly regretted it. "I must look pretty gross, huh?" Kagome's eyes widened and she shook her head.

"No, you could never look gross to me," she smiled in spite herself, trying to act brave. "You…you're so reckless!" Inuyasha winced, turning his face into his restrained arms to try and hide the agony in his face from her eyes.

"Get her out of here!" the aged woman said raspily, "We need to get the wounds sealed and cleaned or he will die from infection!" Kagome turned suddenly with the glimpse of movement at the doorway, and her eyes widened as she spotted Shuri standing there.

"No Shuri get out!"

"Get the child out!" At Ayagi's words Sesshomaru stepped back as one of the demon's left Inuyasha's side, darting over to drag Shuri from the room, slamming the door shut behind them.

"Kagome…go…I don't want you to see…" Inuyasha hissed, his face turning as he felt her soft fingers touch the scarce flesh on his cheek that lay untouched by the fire.

"I want to be here for you…We made a promise, right? No more running away from things…or each other…no matter what." For a moment, the world fell away. There was nothing between the two of them, and for a brief moment, Inuyasha didn't even feel the pain, just the slither of remaining space between them as their eyes locked together, like so many times before. That is, until Ayagi poured another dose of fluid over his body, and that familiar burn brought him back down to reality.

"Okay then, Milady – Milady!" Kagome jumped as she felt Ayagi tug her yukata sleeve gently.

"Sorry? Were you – that is…"

"Yes child, I was talking to you! You are lord Inuyasha's mate aren't you?" Kagome blushed a little in spite her worry for Inuyasha, nodding. "Well then stop fretting about the way I address you and make yourself useful." Kagome nodded again, a little lost for what to do.

"O-Of course, tell me what to do."

"Help keep him still, I'm going to attempt to remove the material from his wounds," the aged woman wet her suddenly dry lips nervously, "it will hurt him a great deal…he'll try to move…" Kagome nodded again, taking Inuyasha's other hand and holding it fast up against the bedstead. "Right, on the count of three," Ayagi muttered, pinching the _tweezers_ quickly as she neared Inuyasha. "One…" Inuyasha winced in anticipation. Kagome felt his angst – fear of the oncoming pain through their bond, and seeing it in his eyes. "Two…" Leaning forward swiftly, Kagome touched a barely there kiss to his lips, pulling back slowly. "Three."

"Ah!" Inuyasha bit down hard, his teeth grinding together, cutting his cry of pain short. He felt the persistent burrowing movement as the metal forced deeper into his scalded flesh, seizing the first fragment of fabric and plucking it from the angry looking burns.

"It's alright, Lord Inuyasha," Ayagi growled quietly, almost unheard over the half-demon's screaming. Grating his teeth together to muffle his _childish_ screams of agony, Inuyasha winced, his chest rising and falling rapidly with his panicked, hasty breaths.

"If you breathe in and out slowly it will help to keep you calm," Sesshomaru offered from where he stood, just behind Kagome.

"S-Shut up you useless asshole I ain't giving birth! Why don't you do something useful?!"

"I cannot…not until either the material fibres are out of the burns or…you are dead." Kagome flinched at his words, but she knew what he meant. _He would try to use the Tenseiga –_ **Try** , since she knew it didn't always work.

"WELL YOU'RE A SOD LOAD OF GOOD THEN AREN'T YOU – AHHH!"

"Nearly there, just a one more fragment, and we can start sealing the wounds…Hang on a little longer Inuyasha." Kagome watched Inuyasha worriedly as his head lolled weakly forward.

"Inuyasha?"

"Geez…I'm so tired…" Kagome nipped her lower lip fretfully.

"I…I don't know what to do Inuyasha. Help me, what do I do to help you?" The half-demon offered her a pained smile.

"I honestly don't think there's anything you _can_ do…" The girl's eyes glassed over as she watched his face contort in pain, letting out a strangled hissing noise. Her fear caused her heartbeat to race, bile rising in her throat. Inuyasha hated being in pain, and she hated it too. _I don't know what to do! How can I possibly be_ _ **any**_ _good to him right now?! I'm so useless, acting like a scared little child while Inuyasha is…_

"Oh gods…" Inuyasha winced again, his claws flexing, digging into his palms in reflex to the pain. Fresh blood rushed down his arms from where they were being held, distracting Kagome from his eyes, eyes that within that brief moment she looked away, bled crimson. Suddenly, Kagome winced, releasing Inuyasha's arm without thinking; her hand clapping to the puncture wound on her neck. It was stinging.

"Get off me you stinking HUMANS!" Kagome yelped as Inuyasha swatted her and the other demon aside, sending her flying backwards into Sesshomaru, the both of them slamming into the wall. "No way will I rely on an _old_ human wench to save _me_!" Kagome flinched at the gruffness in his voice. _He's a demon?! But where's Tetsusaiga?!_ Kagome's hazel eyes darted around the room. She saw it, lying carelessly on the side table by the door. But she'd never be able to get to it; _Inuyasha_ would stop her in her tracks.

"My lord, no!" The elderly human slunk into the corner, recoiling from the advancing _would be_ half-demon. Kagome leapt to her feet, feeling Sesshomaru rise up behind her. She swallowed hard, darting over to him, seizing hold of his shoulders and pulling him backwards. It was then that the priestess' eyes widened. The burns! The burns were fading! _It's because he's full-demon right now, his healing rate is stronger and faster_. Torn roughly from her thoughts, razor claws swung round as Inuyasha turned, shoving her backwards harshly, her back colliding with the wooden-edge of the bed, making her cry out in pain.

"Inuyasha stop-"

"- _BACK_ out _Brother_ ," Inuyasha spat, cutting across Sesshomaru, leaning down over Kagome's form. The girl hitched up against the bed, the enthralling scent of fear and pain coming off her in waves. It made the proceeding demon's heart race a little further.

He leant down over her, Kagome clamping her eyes shut, waiting for the blow to come as his clawed hand slid towards her. "You…" Kagome trembled at his voice as it directed towards her. She could feel his hot breath steaming over her face, causing her dark fringe to sway slightly with his rapid, almost animalistic breaths. Recoiling as far back into the bed as she could go, Kagome felt herself overcome with astonishment, as the dull backs of Inuyasha's claws ran tenderly over her forehead, brushing aside the hair hanging over it. "You…you're…" Kagome swallowed hard as she felt his other claws trace over her throat, running down to her neck, as if to check the puncture wound was still there. "You're…afraid?" Kagome's tongue darted out to wet her lips in apprehension.

"Y-Yes," she admitted, widening her eyes in warning as Ayagi and the demon tried to approach Inuyasha, Sesshomaru standing and watching silently from the side. "Should I be?" His lips curved into a smirk, his face no longer brutally marred with burns, just slightly pink with the rapidly healing wounds. His fangs met her gaze eerily from their place in his mouth, and she shuddered, but he didn't move.

"Not you." Kagome felt her heart leap into her throat in spite his gruff words, as his clawed hand took hers, lifting it to his fang-filled mouth. He brushed his mouth against her fearful fingers gently, "You're mine…" Kagome flushed dark, and even knowing she wasn't in any immediate danger, still fearful for her life (and her fingers) and grateful when he released his hold on her hand.

Inuyasha got to his feet, and Kagome watched his flesh on his once marred chest as it rose and fell with his breathing; it was almost completely healed. _He was close to death…his full-demon blood must've been brought out because of it, and as a result…_

"He's practically healed," Ayagi gasped as he turned to face her, clawed fingertip raking slowly into his hair, releasing it from the apparently aggravating tie. Inuyasha cracked his claws in response to her words.

"Which is _more_ than I can say for you-"

"-Oh, _no_ you don't!" The now _demon_ Inuyasha spun on his heel, facing his mate, absolutely livid.

"How _dare_ you-"

"-Sit boy!" Sesshomaru's eyes widened as the beads around Inuyasha's neck glowed brilliantly, and his brother went crashing to the floor. Kagome averted her eyes from Inuyasha, awaiting the outburst that was sure to ensue. _Three, Two, One…_

"KAGOME!" Everyone in the room (besides Sesshomaru) stumbled backwards a few steps as the half-demon leapt to his feet, brandishing his fist in the air. "What the hell are you doing _wench_? I threw myself through a burning building and you use that damn s-"

"-I'll say it again _Inuyasha_ ," Kagome interrupted, her voice playful, but Inuyasha feared the threat in any case, and silenced instantly. "And I _will_ say it, if you don't stop making me worry about you." Inuyasha blushed, averting his gaze. Sesshomaru almost smirked, glad to see his half-brother's irksome personality returning to the way it was. Silently ushering the other two in the room out, along with himself, the demon lord closed the door behind him, leaving the two alone.

"I can't believe it…" Kagome muttered, watching Inuyasha closely. "Everything is… is finally going to be alright, isn't it?" Inuyasha looked up at her, offering her a mischievous smile, the kind he hadn't shown in so long. Kagome's eyes widened as she squeaked loudly, the half-demon bounding towards her and tackling her onto the bed behind her, neither minding the blood strewn across it. Mirth filled his bhalf-demon ears as he laid swift teasing kisses over her face, claws absently tracing the 'mating mark' which adorned the side of her neck.

"You're damn straight everything's gonna be okay now," Inuyasha growled against her cheek, giving it a swift lick. "'Cause I'll be damned if I let anything hurt the people I love again," he cut off his own words with an ardent kiss on her flushed lips, pulling away again only a hairsbreadth. "And I'll be damned if I let anything take any more of our time together – or our time with Shuri," Kagome's eyes lit up again with the thought of the rest of eternity they had left to live with each other. When they'd finally been reunited after five years, their time together had been tarnished by the prospect of it being cut off – by the prospect of death, and the suffering. It was as if she were seeing him again for the first time after all those years, and she couldn't let go of him, she didn't _want_ to. Right now, she just wanted to be held in those arms that had been denied her for so long. _They_ wanted to start being happy _together_ again.

"Excuse me," came the familiar voice from beyond the door, and the half-demon and the priestess glanced over to it as it opened and Sesshomaru appeared there. "Not to intrude, but you have some very anxious visitors here who couldn't be kept out-"

"-Daddy!"

"-Inuyasha! Kagome!" The two jumped as the door swung open, Shuri darting in, followed by the kitsune and Kilala, who leapt onto the bed with them.

"Daddy, are you okay? You were bleeding? Are you okay now?" Inuyasha, still a little stunned at the 'welcoming party' that had thrown themselves onto the bed.

"I'm okay Shuri…everything's okay now…" the younger half-demon's face lit up, and he leapt forwards, wrapping his little arms round his father's neck, causing him to topple backwards onto the bed. Kagome receiving a treatment much the same from Shippo, as she stroked the cat-demon gently behind her ears.

"Thank you, Kilala," the priestess sighed, "you're always watching over us…you looked after everyone while I wasn't here…and you saved Shuri. Thank you." The cat demon mewled happily, her tails swaying in delight at seeing her strange little family come back together as they should be.

TBC


	14. Firefly

_Firefly_

~Chapter Fourteen~

 

Inuyasha growled under his breath, his chin resting on his folded arms, the half-demon lying grumpily on his front. "Stop your grumbling Inuyasha, it's quite unfitting."

"Feh to you! I'll grumble if I damn well want to!" Kagome smirked as she ran a brush through Shuri's tangled silver hair a he sat on her lap, wincing. "And stop fussing and preening over the kid's hair like that, he ain't a girl!" Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Be quiet Inuyasha, or _you'll_ be next." He huffed indignantly at her threat, muttering something about not being a sissy before falling silent. It wasn't as if he was embarrassed about the situation he was currently in, after all, he knew _why_ Sesshomaru was doing what he was doing, and though an oblivious human might not see it that way; this was in _no_ way sexually related. _**Hell**_ _no it's not,_ the half-demon thought as Sesshomaru ran his tongue over Inuyasha's still slightly bloody wounds. It was just awkward, having his (up until now estranged) brother tending to his wounds in the traditional demon manner.

"Stop your fidgeting Little brother," Inuyasha growled in annoyance, he hated being treated like a small pup, _especially_ by Sesshomaru. _Condescending piece a…_

"Daddy?" Inuyasha inclined his head to look upon Shuri and Kagome, sat on the chair beside the bed. "Where are we going to live now? Are we going to go back and live in the cave?" Kagome narrowed her eyes at Inuyasha, and he understood the look – _'No way is a son of mine living in a cave'_.

"We'll find a place, don't worry yourself over it."

"Ouch!" Shuri squealed.

"Kagome, stop brushing him!" She threw him a scolding look.

"It needs to be brushed! It's your fault anyway, for not brushing it for him all this time." Inuyasha's face contorted into a puzzled expression.

"I don't brush my hair, why should he – ow!" The half-demon shot a glare over his shoulder at his brother, who purposefully had tugged at a tangle in his silvery tresses.

"Merely reminding you _exactly_ why you should, Inuyasha." Kagome smirked.

"Yeah, I mean look at Sesshomaru, _he_ probably takes good care of his hair." Inuyasha growled again; his brother and Kagome banding together against him, why didn't he see _that_ coming?

"That's 'cause he's a moron…Sissy prick…"

"There's nothing _'sissy'_ about good hygiene, Inuyasha, maybe you should heed Kagome's advice."

"Sod off you mother-fu-"

"Inuyasha sit boy." Inuyasha whimpered as he slammed hard into the mattress, thankfully not shooting straight through.

"Great…she's back to that again…" he grumbled as he recovered, "Whatever happened to _'I_ _ **love**_ _you, Inuyasha', 'I_ _ **missed**_ _you, Inu-_ "

"SIT BOY!" Sesshomaru got up off the bed, quite finished sealing the half-demon's wounds, entertaining himself with Inuyasha ploughing into the mattress and the crimson tint to Kagome's embarrassed face. "SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT!"

"Some things _never_ change," Shippo muttered to a confused looking Shuri, from where he'd sat beside him, silent up until now, and the kitsune rolled his eyes, however not denying how happy he was that his _family_ were coming back together again, complete with a new _brother_ and _sister_ to play with.

Sesshomaru opened the door, only to pause in the archway. "Oh, and Kagome?" the girl looked up at mention of her name. "Your friend, Sango said she wanted to see you." The girl – _woman_ nodded, and the demon lord disappeared through the door.

Sango smiled tiredly as she watched Miroku coo to their daughter, waving his finger at her playfully until she grabbed it. "Miroku, you have to put her down eventually…she needs to sleep you know?" she laughed, and the monk looked up as the chamber door opened, a dark-haired girl peeping round it.

"But she won't sleep now anyway, not now his favourite Aunt Kagome has come to see him," Kagome smiled warmly at her demon slaying friend, before leaning down to look at the little girl over the monk's shoulder.

"Geez, she's pretty, Sango. Little heartbreaker, you better keep her away from my Shuri, he might fall in love," she teased, enjoying the look of terror on Miroku's face. Sango tried not to laugh, not thinking her aching body was up to handle laughter at the moment without closing for repairs.

"Don't look so petrified Miroku, he's _Kagome's_ son, he's not going to be anywhere _near_ as perverse as you." Miroku looked sceptical.

"Yeah, but let's not forget who his father is, and how many times _Inuyasha_ peeked at Kagome bathing and-"

"-Ha! The pot calling the kettle black! Just go have guy-time with Inuyasha while Sango and I ogle over your daughter," Kagome taunted, taking the bubbly little girl into her arms.

As Miroku closed the door behind him, Kagome sat on the edge of the bed, the baby girl in her arms. Sango smiled, watching her friend exhaustedly.

"Maybe you should tell Inuyasha you want a _pink_ _one_ now too," she joked, Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Oh gods, Inuyasha with a _daughter_ , I don't think he'd cope very well with _girly_ parts." The once demon slayer squeezed her friend's arm softly.

"Yeah, but with Inuyasha's hair and ears I bet she'd be gorgeous." The priestess laughed softly as the little girl seized her finger, squeezing it hard.

"She _is_ pretty though, Sango," the said woman nodded, "yeah, and _painful_ too." Kagome watched the brilliantly blue eyes watch her carefully, wavy black hair already showing through – not as much hair as Shuri had when he was born but, well, he was a half-demon. _This_ was the most beautiful human girl she'd ever seen. Not able to decide whether the baby was more Sango or Miroku, Kagome looked up to her friend, her anxiety rearing its head as she saw the drained look on her face. "And you're okay?" Sango smiled again, finding herself doing that a lot lately, despite the horrors they'd faced over the last few days.

"Yeah, I'm okay, tired, but otherwise…Oh, you mean," she paused after her realisation, "Yes, Kagome, everything's okay. I can still have children, and there's nothing wrong with me or the baby. Perhaps _Miroku_ may need a little reassurance after all this worry, but otherwise…" she trailed off, Kagome knew what she'd meant, and the priestess released a breath she didn't even remember holding.

"Don't worry, Inuyasha will give him some _'manly reassurance'_ , he manages to find the right words when he's not looking somehow…" Sango nodded, fingers toying thoughtfully with the corner of the fresh silk sheets. "And I'm sure Sesshomaru will forgive you for staining his sheets with blood," the former demon slayer looked half amused, half shocked.

"I know, he didn't say anything but _damn it_ Kagome, they must've been _expensive_." Kagome waved her hand as if swatting away her friend's worry.

"Sesshomaru is being a lot nicer lately, I wouldn't worry. Besides, with him being a demon lord and all, his sheets have probably seen more blood than _I_ have, and travelling with you guys I've seen _a lot_."

Handing the girl back to her mother, Kagome sat back on the end of the bed, watching her friend with her new baby carefully, noting the small, harmless fingers clawing at Sango's chest.

"Haven't you fed her?" Sango looked over to her.

"That's what I wanted you for, she won't," the woman blushed, "she won't…take it…" Kagome smiled at her friend's embarrassment. She supposed things were different to her time after all.

"Oh, you mean she won't take your breast?" she said blatantly, moving towards her friend, "some babies don't straight away, don't fret over it. Here." Taking the little girl while Sango pushed back her yukata off her torso, Kagome rested the baby back in her mother's arms in the appropriate manner.

"See, she knows what she's doing," Kagome joked, holding back a giggle at her friend's surprised look as the baby managed to latch on. "Weird?" Sango frowned.

"N-No, no really…well, yeah, okay weird, but…nice…" Kagome rubbed her arm affectionately.

"See, no need to panic, now," getting to her feet, Kagome pulled the blanket up round the two, "I am going to go keep Miroku from dying of panic also, and _you_ are going to feed your baby, and get some sleep, okay _Mummy_?" Sango smirked, nodding tiredly.

"I promise, feed baby sleep, I don't have any energy for much else anyway."

Kagome manoeuvred over to the door, turning back to face her friend and her daughter as she remembered something.

"Oh, yeah, have you named her yet? What did you call her?" Sango worried her lip between her teeth.

"Uh…well, I…" Kagome closed the door, coming back over to her friend's side.

"Haven't you got one for her?"

"Well I…Miroku and I thought she was going to be a boy and I…I sort of said I wanted to name it after him, but now…"

"Yeah, as nice as 'Miroku' is, I _don't_ think it's the best choice for a little girl's name." Sango shrugged.

"Well I'm not sure, I never really thought of names, with _Miroku_ worrying his head off I didn't really have _time_ for it." Kagome's eyes wandered the room thoughtfully.  
"Well don't you have any family names? Kohaku and Sango are both colours aren't they? What about-"

"-Oh no, I…I thought about that but, it would exclude Miroku's side of the family too much." Kagome nodded, not really thinking Miroku would mind but respecting Sango's wishes in any case. But despite that thought, her mind was blank.

"Ayumi?" she suggested, thinking of her friends in her era. Sango shook her head.

"No, I think Miroku 'tried it' with a girl named Ayumi."

"Yuki?"

"And a girl named Yuki."

"Er…Himeko?"

"And-"

"-Sango, he's 'tried it' with every girl he's ever met. If we're restricting it to that then we're screwed." Sango choked back a laugh, _really_ not believing laughter was a good idea right now.

Suddenly, a quiet knock sounded at the door, before it opened slowly. "Mummy?" Kagome smiled as Shuri appeared round the door. "Rin said she'd take me and Shippo to go see the fireflies by the lake, can I go? Can I?" She nodded.

"Just don't stray too far from the castle."

"I won't!" He called back, "besides, Uncle Sesshomaru is coming too!" She stifled a laugh at the thought of 'the demon lord Sesshomaru' walking with three excitable children to watch fireflies. _That_ was _too_ funny to think about.

"I know."

"What?"

"Her name?" Kagome frowned.

" _Sesshomaru_?" Sango clicked her tongue impatiently.

"No, not Sesshomaru. Firefly?" she suggested, "Hotaru." Kagome smiled warmly in acceptance. "What do you think, huh?" she asked the little girl whose mouth was currently occupied.

"I think it's perfect." Sango smiled, toying with the little girl's raven curls as Kagome got up once more, leaving the two alone to get some much needed rest.

"Ah, Kagome," the girl jumped as she nearly bumped into Miroku on her way out the door. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you, but Shuri said since you were feeling better you could have this back." Holding her hands out to receive whatever he was giving her, Kagome's eyes widened as she caught sight of the glimmering jewel in her hands. _Damn, I forgot all about this,_ she growled in impatience, _just when I thought things were going_ _ **right**_ _for a change…_

TBC


	15. Ever-After

_Ever-After_

~Chapter Fifteen~

 

Inuyasha's golden gaze twinkled in the dim, early morning light that shone through the Japanese shutters at the windows, lying on his side, and his face inches away from his new mate's sleeping form, her eyes shut against the currently calm world, chest cresting and falling with slow breaths. A small, shimmering smile crossing his features, Inuyasha reached forwards, brushing the backs of his claws against the rogue tendrils of raven hair that crept its way over her forehead. "You have no idea how much I love you…" he growled softly under his breath, shifting closer to her, their noses touching tenderly.

"Really? Shock me?" she laughed quietly, evidently _not_ asleep as her eyelashes fluttered open. He returned her smile.

"I can't believe everything's turned out like this…it's like…all the horrors of my pretty much crappy life before – My parents' deaths, Naraku, Kikyo, _everything_ , it was all worth it, just to get where we are now."

"Mum always used to say _'everything happens for a_ reason'. If we hadn't suffered through all those trials we might not be lying together here right now, we might not have Shuri, and Miroku and Sango might not have little Hotaru. Nothing _just_ happens, its all leading us somewhere…" she trailed off, nuzzling into Inuyasha's warmth, the half-demon only just appreciating just how much she'd matured over the years of travelling together across feudal Japan, along with their five year separation. He tried not to recall that dark, miserable time, it was over now – _everything_ was worth it…

The priestess blinked, fingers delving into her shirt to pull out the chain on which hung the Jewel of four souls. "Well, just _this_ ," she said thoughtfully, staring at the offensive item. "I just can't…can't think of an _unselfish_ wish, we have to be careful, if we word it wrong… _everything_ could go wrong…" The half-demon's hand enclosed around the one of hers which clasped the jewel, squeezing it reassuringly.

"We'll think of something."

"Yeah," she agreed quietly. Suddenly, a wince came across her face, and Inuyasha frowned.

"What's the matter? Are you-"

"-I'm fine, just…I feel a little queasy, is all…"

"Do you want me to get you something? Like water, or-"

"-Inuyasha," she smiled exasperatedly, "I'm _fine_ honestly." The half-demon eyed the jewel accusingly.

"It's that damn jewel again…it better not make you sick or something worrying about it…" Kagome smirked, leaning in to rest her cheek against his chest, sighing softly as she closed her eyes.

"At least they found Kaede alright," Inuyasha mumbled, changing the subject. "She took off with some of the villagers in another direction, when Kouga's lot rounded 'em up they brought them here," Kagome nodded. They'd arrived at the castle just a little over four days ago now, whereas Kouga and his _'rescue team'_ hadn't arrived with the villagers they'd managed to save until yesterday. Seeing all the villagers together, downstairs in the hall earlier yesterday evening, they realised maybe the losses weren't as catastrophic as they might've been – sure, the village was obliterated, and many had lost their lives, and yet, many had escaped. _"It matters little,"_ Inuyasha recalled his brother muttering quietly, after making sure the villagers had somewhere to sleep the night. _"However many have fallen, Father's sword will resurrect them…"_ He'd had to take a double-take on that! 'Lord High and Mighty' Sesshomaru offering to resurrect dead _human_ villagers. Apparently, his half-brother was taking his new 'brotherly duties' _very_ seriously, secretly attempting to outscore all the bad he'd done to his younger brother in the past with good – the good _really_ hitting home to Inuyasha when he'd sent out a patrol to destroy every demon that had _any_ responsibility in the horrors that had been exacted upon his little brother and his friends the last couple of days. _Well,_ thought Inuyasha resolutely, a smile spreading across his face, _he_ _ **has**_ _got eternity to work at it…_

"Geez, really levelled the ground didn't they?" Inuyasha growled, golden eyes scanning the catastrophic debris that was all that remained of the village they'd all once called home. What were once the familiar, welcoming homes that the people they knew and spoke to every day lived in, were now just burnt ruins, the _foundations_ all that remained. Shuri's brow furrowed, fidgeting awkwardly on his place on his father's shoulders.

"Oh…" Kagome sighed sorrowfully, leaning down at the scorched fencing that surrounded what was left of Kaede's herb garden. Her heart clenched painfully on the recollections at the many heartfelt conversations and events that had happened in this village – her whole _life_ had changed when she first stepped in here, this was her home away from home, and now it was gone, all gone…

"It's horrible," Sango muttered angrily, bouncing the crying baby girl that was in her arms gently, trying to soothe her. "This was our home and they've _desecrated_ it! I only wish Sesshomaru could resurrect them from the dead so we could deal out a little punishment of our own…" Miroku's once wandering, lecherous hand, patted his wife gently on her shoulder, in the least perverted and _most_ reassuring of ways.

"Well, we'd best get cracking then," Inuyasha smirked, rolling his baggy haori sleeves back, heading towards the rubble. "We've got alotta homeless villagers and alotta homes to rebuild." Kagome turned, still hunched down on her knees, watching her mate curiously.

"Inuyasha?" The half-demon dropped his son from his shoulders deftly, setting him back on his small feet as he ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Come on, lets shift this rubble," he growled out, punctuating the point but kicking the last standing support beam of Kaede's _hut_. "And then, we'll rebuild the village, _exactly_ as it was before." Shippo frown quizzically from his place on Miroku's shoulder.

"But how're you going to do that Inuyasha? How can you remember _exactly_ where everything was?" The half-demon's smirk broadened, his clawed finger tapping his temple swiftly.

"The amount of times I've seen this village. For half my life I've looked over it from a bird's-eye view, I dare anyone to say they know this place as well as me. _Plus_ ," he added, lifting his mate to her feet, "I've got the demonic brainpower to recall stuff in any case. We're gonna rebuild this place – to the very last blade of grass." Kagome smiled up at the half-demon, _her_ half-demon, his clawed hands resting unembarrassed at her hips. Back all those years ago, when she'd first met that arrogant, rude half-demon pinned to that tree, she _never_ would've expected to feel such – adoration, such _pride_ towards him. They'd truly come a long way together since that time nearly eight years ago.

"Oh, so it's like – a demon photographic memory?" Everyone in her company frowned, and she smiled goofily. "Umm, _long_ story," she giggled, trying to remember not to give feudal Japan _too many_ revelations.

"Right, well on that note, let's get started!"

"You will require workers to get the job done quickly, will you not, Little brother?" interjected Sesshomaru, distanced from the others, remaining silent up until then. Inuyasha nodded unsurely, still not entirely comfortable with his brother being so… _nice_ just yet. It'd _definitely_ take some getting used to. "They will be supplied – as will the materials you will require. After all, you _are_ an heir to the West, and I will not have you residing in a dwelling crafted from shabby supplies." Inuyasha's eyes widened.

"Umm…that's okay Sesshomaru," Inuyasha smirked uneasily, waving his hands to emphasise the point, "Thanks, but I told you, I don't want to inherit the Western lands, you were raised for that, it's _your_ birthright. I'm not a political person – just the _thought_ of all those responsibilities makes my head hurt – having to look after this damn village is hard enough work for me," he cast his eyes briefly to Kagome and Shuri, before continuing, "besides, I have more important things to take care of." Sesshomaru almost smiled.

"Indeed, I suppose so...in that case I will simply have to make do with allowing you exceptionally good quality materials to use." Inuyasha nodded, agreeing to the suggestion, finding that he secretly liked having someone to look out for him, the way Sesshomaru was now, almost like having a parent instead of a brother – his weird little family was coming together at last, it was a shame it took over two-hundred-years to do so but still…

Whether it was just hard work that paid off or whether it was the fact that it had every able-bodied person in the village _plus_ every demon under Sesshomaru's control ( _even_ a reluctant Jaken) was working on it, but the village was cleared in just a few short successive days, those who were unable to work kept busy (but safe) at Sesshomaru's castle, slaving away over smaller items like bedding and other such things, preparing for the time they'd be able to return to their homes again. Finishing the demolishing job the demons had started on the village was _one_ thing – anyone can tear something apart – _rebuilding_ was another issue, they could do it for sure, but it took longer, much longer. A slowly recovering Sango was forced to take a back-seat, left caring for Hotaru and entertaining Shuri and Rin, helping the gradually recuperating Kaede to restock the gardens ready for the next harvest time. Kagome, Miroku and the others meanwhile, found themselves under _Inuyasha's_ strangely competent instruction. Indeed, when all was said and done Inuyasha knew what he was doing in this matter.

Two weeks in the re-construction, the foundations for every plot was laid, a lot of them already beginning to be rebuilt, as the sun rose high in the sky for midday, Inuyasha wiped his brow with the back of his arm, certainly feeling the heat, as he was sure the others were. Turning to where Sango knelt in Kaede's slowly re-growing herb garden, Hotaru strapped to her back, eyeing the rest of the village's goings-on curiously with her wide azure eyes, Inuyasha stalked over to her, plucking the water flask from where it lay in the tangled heap of his fire-rat haori and white kosode at her side.

"Hey, Sango?" The once demon-slayer inclined her head to look at him. "Where's Kagome, I haven't seen here all morning?" Sango shrugged lightly.

"I think I might've seen her heading towards the Sacred tree, maybe she wanted some alone time, you know? Away from the excitement of everything?" Inuyasha nodded, lifting the flask over his head and tipping the remaining water over his heated flesh, cooling himself down as the water drenched his hair and the back of his neck, slowly trickling down his torso. "Better now?" the woman joked, receiving a playful obsidian brow rising at her. "Just go find your girl Inuyasha," she laughed, returning to the only duty her anxious husband and over-protective friends allowed her.

Following the familiar path to the Sacred Tree, Inuyasha frowned, sensing Kagome's scent leading slightly away from it. _The Well?_ He thought, shrugging as he walked, for some reason a little quicker than before in the direction he could sense her and…was that Shuri's scent as well? He was _definitely_ walking faster now, why would Shuri and Kagome be at the Well? They weren't…they _wouldn't_? Would they?

His feet barely touched the grassy ground as he darted through the trees. Suddenly, his bare feet dug into the ground as he skidded to a halt beside the small wooden structure that formed the Dry Well. His heart, thudding in his chest the half-demon's eyes narrowed curiously as he watched Kagome resting against the Well, Shuri leaning his silver-haired-head into her chest, the scent of salty tears weighing heavily in the air.

"Ka-Kagome?" The girl's head shot up in shock at his voice, making Shuri jump. "What're you doing here? What's wrong?" Kagome feigned a smile, wiping her tear-stained eyes on her yukata sleeve.

"Nothing, I'm-"

"-And _don't_ say you're fine, you're obviously not. I thought we weren't supposed to keep secrets from each other anymore, remember? So tell me, what's the matter?" Kagome sighed, tightening her hold on Shuri ever-so-slightly, who, Inuyasha noticed, seemed also to have the scent of salt lingering around him.

"I…I went back to my Mum…and I…"

"-Oh," the half-demon interrupted solemnly, his ears drooping a little, "If…if that's what you-"

"-No!" Kagome practically yelled desperately, seeing how he'd taken her words. "No, that's not – I – I took Shuri to…to say goodbye, to my family." His ears pricked.

"W-What? Why would you – but they – I don't understand." The woman smiled softly at his disbelief, his voice higher that it usually was, shifting Shuri gently off her lap and onto his feet, making her way slowly to Inuyasha.

"I…I spent these last two weeks, _trying_ to… This Jewel, it's incapable of causing _anything_ good, it has to be purified as quickly as possible, it's my responsibility and I won't jeopardise everything for it… So I…I've made my wish…"

It took a while for her words to register in his mind, which was so preoccupied with the weight of possible rejection and potential misery weighing in his paranoid mind, he almost forgot to listen to her; but he heard her alright, not that he dared believe his ears. "It was hard, since it had to be unselfish so I…I got Shuri to wish on it…" Inuyasha's eyes widened in horror. Was she crazy? Letting a little boy – _their_ little boy wish on the Shikon no Tama? The cause of _everything_ horrible that had happened to them? After just saying it was practically pure evil? He definitely thought his mate had lost her mind. "A totally pure heart of a child? Who better to wish on a jewel so easily tainted by selfishness and other negative emotions?" she added quickly, seeing the look of alarm that struck his face. "I...I got him to wish the well were sealed, to prevent any demons from using to escape through it into the future, I _don't_ think Tokyo is ready to face another Naraku," she joked, imagining a _'Godzilla in Tokyo'_ event, "and the Jewel it…it disappeared."

Within seconds of the words leaving her mouth, Kagome felt the half-demon seize her round the waist, pulling her into a rough embrace, showering her with clumsy kisses over her face, making their son flush in confusion, looking away determinedly.

"Do you – have any – idea how much – you scared me just then? I was – so scared – you were gonna – leave me! Don't ever do – that again!" Kagome smiled against the final, swift kiss against her lips, watching him, slightly embarrassed. Kagome giggled, punching Inuyasha's shoulders teasingly, trying to get him to release her.

"Eww, Inuyasha, you're all wet, get off me," The half-demon's lips quirked into a smirk, breaking their embrace.

"But why? Why would you do that? Your family they-"

"-Understand…I can't go back there, not with those people after Shuri…and I…I'll miss my Mum, and Grandpa, and Sota but…honestly don't belong in that world anymore…I belong here…with you…" Inuyasha smiled again, his face beginning to feel sore with smiling so much lately.

"Damn right you do…and if you ever try and get away from me nothing – not even five-hundred-years of time will stop me from coming and taking you back again." The priestess returned his broad smile, turning and ushering their son towards them, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"Besides," she added thoughtfully, both half-demons looking at her, "It's a long time to wait, but I'll see them again – five hundred years with _you_ guys will fly by." Inuyasha laughed, only just realising that his future self was probably meeting up with the Higurashi family in modern day Tokyo at this precise moment, the future selves of Kagome, Shuri, Shippo, and any _other_ children they might have along the way, and if he continued to love his mate as much as he did at this moment (which he _knew_ he would) there would more than likely be _quite_ a few by the time five-hundred-years rolled past.

Kaede sighed heavily, resting back into the wall of her recently restored hut, her one good eye watching Inuyasha as he strode past her, a lengthy beam of wood lying effortlessly across his shoulder. The elderly woman shook her head, it'd taken them four hectic months but things were finally settling back to normal. The villagers (much to Sesshomaru's relief) were out of his castle and into their new homes, busying themselves with resuming their lives, knowing of the unwavering protection that Lord Sesshomaru, _Lord_ Inuyasha and Kaede's new apprentice _Lady Kagome_ had set up around the village – demons and war weren't a problem for them anymore, and they had Lord Sesshomaru's new fondness for his only baby brother and nephew to thank for that. Of course there were still 'odds and ends' to finish, which Inuyasha had taken upon doing himself – well, it was to _his_ and Kagome's home that he was adding the 'finishing touches' to.

As Inuyasha past her resting place for the twelfth time in the last few minutes, Kaede found herself smiling at the scene of Miroku with that same, silly _fatherly_ grin which was becoming trademark replacement for the 'lecherous' look (though _Sango_ still saw that quite often), Hotaru chuckling from her father's lap, Shippo entertaining the excitable infant with his 'bubble' form. "MIROKU!" Even the elderly woman sitting beside the hut across from them with ailing hearing flinched at Sango's enraged yell. "NO LECHERY IN FRONT OF HOTARU!" The once monk waved his guilty hand goofily, Kohaku shaking his head in disbelief from the door of the hut – and he thought the days of Miroku groping his sister's backside were over…

"I couldn't help it my dear Sango, my hand is possessed by its love for you…" Kaede tuned out at that point, it was _far_ more information than she wished to know…

"Lady Kaede?" The elderly woman looked up at the cool mentioning of her name, finding it odd that she should react so casually to _Lord Sesshomaru_ speaking to her so courteously. "Where would I find Inuyasha?"

"He should be around here somewhere, more than likely working on his hut," she gestured with her hand in the direction she'd seen Inuyasha last, and the demon lord bowed curtly, Rin and Jaken in his wake as he made his way toward Inuyasha and Kagome's home.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked chirpily, the demon inclining his head to her to let her know he was listening. "May I go and visit Kohaku?" He nodded slowly, watching her speed off to meet the young demon slayer out of the corner of his eye. What a peculiar creature she was, once a small human girl more afraid of humans than demons, chasing around after himself – a _demon_ , becoming his ward, and now she was no longer a child, a young headstrong woman that still worshipped the ground he walked on, constantly gazing him with adoring eyes, but now, he found he also caught her throwing longing stares at Sango's younger brother of a totally _different_ nature. _A human ward of one of the most feared demons in this age setting a demon slayer in her sights for romance?_ He shook his head amusedly, he was sure she'd cause him _plenty_ of trouble in his stance as her _father_ in the years to come, particularly in light of what Kagome had forewarned him about – 'Teenage rebellion'.

Approaching the generous home at the very edge of the village, bordering on the forest, snugly secured by the trees around it, Sesshomaru heard Jaken grumble under his breath, the demon lord allowing a smirk to twitch at his lips. In his short distance from them, he remained unnoticed by the couple who stood on the 'porch' of their hut, Inuyasha playfully growling under his breath at Kagome as he ran his clawed fingers over her protruding belly, and the baby growing inside.

"Uncle Sesshomaru! Uncle Sesshomaru!" Following the voice, Shuri darted through the hut door, running over to the demon lord (who'd grown not to be shocked by the antics of his young nephew). The little half-demon ran swiftly round his uncle's legs, much in the way Rin had done in her childhood, ignoring Jaken's squawking in protest, which earned the toad demon a well-aimed rock upside his head – courtesy of Lord Sesshomaru.

"Hey, you're late," Inuyasha jokingly criticised, he and Kagome approaching his brother. "You usually don't leave it this late into the moon-cycle to throw us a visit."

"Yes, I took my time arriving from the West; I had some things to speak to Rin about regarding a certain young demon slayer." Kagome smiled craftily.

"Yeah, those two give each other 'lovey-dovey' eyes whenever they see each other," the expectant human clasped her hands together in joy, "good luck to them, I couldn't have picked a nicer boy for her to choose." Sesshomaru nodded.

"Indeed, though she is still rather young to marry, perhaps in a few years, when the boy approaches her for courting I will allow it…" Inuyasha rolled his eyes, knowing his brother wouldn't stand in the way of the human girl's happiness – his usually complacent and impenetrable brother's façade had a weak-spot when it came to Rin.

"I hope you're taking care of yourself Little brother, as well as my nephew, Kagome and that pup in her belly." Inuyasha cocked his head slightly.

"'Course, _Village protector_ and all that – I didn't get appointed for nothin' ya know." The demon lord smirked.

"When will my niece be expected? Kagome smiled again, rubbing her stomach affectionately.

"Well, half-demons don't take as long as humans, but still take longer than demons. Shuri arrived at around seven months along so…"

"Still three months?" Sesshomaru suggested, to which the priestess nodded, Inuyasha piping up once they'd finished speaking on the subject on his unborn daughter.

"Yeah, well anyway, you promised you'd swing by and pickup Shuri, he's been excited about it all damn day!" Sesshomaru watched his brother, his lips turned in a 'almost-smile' as Kagome had named the expression; it'd been a little over four months now, and the half-demon seemed to finally be warming up to the idea of having a 'big brother', particularly won over by Sesshomaru's efforts with Shuri, it being somewhat of an ritual thing for the demon lord to swing by a couple of times a month, taking the little half-demon with him and fulfilling his responsibility of alpha of his little family, and helping Shuri understand things about being a demon that Inuyasha had had to learn by himself. It made Inuyasha happy to see Shuri 'bonding' as it were with his brother, and being so excited about learning things about his demon heritage – and additional to the fact that it meant he and Kagome got much-needed 'alone-time' (since Sesshomaru had graciously offered to take Shippo along also – not excluding him merely because he was merely the 'adopted' kitsune son) it was heart-warming to know his brother _cared_ enough to want to do it, not just because he was making it up to Inuyasha, but also because he (uncharacteristically) _wanted_ to spend that time with Shuri, who was fast becoming his favourite member of his new 'family' (not that he'd venture as far out of his old stoic character to _tell_ anyone that, however.)

"Take good care of him," Kagome said, arms folding over her swollen stomach. Sesshomaru nodded his head slightly.

"I always do," he assured her, "I will pick up the kitsune on my way back through the village." Inuyasha smirked as he watched Shuri hug his mother goodbye after doing the same to him, enthusiastically hopping after his uncle.

"See you tomorrow evening!" Kagome called after them, watching the three until they turned the corner of the formed by the trees, disappearing from view.

The priestess sighed tiredly, allowing her mate to steer her back towards the hut.

"Do you think he'll take our daughter along with Shuri and Shippo too when she's born?" Kagome asked thoughtfully, not sure how Sesshomaru would react to handling a girl – then again, he'd looked after Rin all these years, she supposed she didn't really have reason to worry.

"Feh, didn't you _hear_ him, he's almost as anxious for this kid as we are, he's looking _forward_ to another girl to fawn and spoil - spoiling Shuri's little ass ain't enough." Kagome rolled her eyes once more, allowing her mate to sit her on the chair outside their hut, taking a seat beside her.

"Do you think there'll be many more dangers for us in the future, Inuyasha?" she asked after a short silence, "dangers like Naraku, I mean?" Inuyasha smiled warmly, taking her hand in his.

"I can almost guarantee it," though it wasn't a promising thought, Kagome returned his smile nonetheless. She knew Inuyasha would take care of her, Shuri, their daughter, and anybody else that may be placed in danger by the innumerable threats that undoubtedly awaited them in the rest of eternity they had together, and Sesshomaru (in all his brotherly splendour) in turn, would make sure Inuyasha didn't get himself killed in the process.

Gradually, bit by bit, the hazy smoke of the half-demon Inuyasha's life had dissipated into the suddenly blinding light that seemed to have all of a sudden come alight in his once very dark world. The once coveted Jewel of Four souls which had done nothing but wreak misery and havoc upon his life was finally gone, and with it any hopes of him becoming a full-fledged demon, but suddenly he found, he didn't care anymore. _This_ was his life, his _half-demon_ life, with Kagome, the girl he loved and who loved him for _who_ he was unwaveringly – Shuri, his unexpected miracle that stumbled into his life one dark, cold night, turning his life upside down forever – for the better. The friends and family his mixed blood predicted he'd never have stood by him relentlessly in the present and future – it didn't matter what the future brought forth from it's cruel uncertainty, he would face it hand-in-hand with the people that meant most to him, they'd conquer every hindrance. They'd got their long-awaited happy ending…

~Owari~


End file.
